Beacon Magazine May 2010 by EyesOnBC Publishing

www.kdair.com info@kdair.com

DAILY SERVICE TO VANCOUVER Call Call for for schedules schedules & & reservations reservations

Find us here... • on Twitter www.twitter.com/BeaconMagazine • on Facebook Search for us as EyesOnBC • on our Blog beaconmagazine.blogspot.com • on our own developing Website at www.eyesonbc.com • on 88.5FM The Beach each Thursday morning at 8:10am (approx.) catch the weekly Beacon Beat • and the first Thursday of each month listen live as Linda Tenney and Dave Graham talk about what’s happening in Lighthouse Country on 88.5FM The Beach.

6996 West Island Hwy Bowser, BC V0R 1G0

.com .com

Sharon Waugh & Linda Tenney caricatures by the late mike keller

Letter to the Editor

FEATURE: VIU CENTRE: PASSPORT TO PROSPERITY?

May 2010 VOLUME 6 NO 72 The Beacon is published monthly by EyesOnBC

Main Email: beacon@eyesonbc.com Phone/Fax: 250-757-9914 In Person EyesOnBC at Magnolia Court Box 182, #110-6996 W. Island Hwy. Bowser, British Columbia V0R 1G0 Hours: Mon - Fri 10am-5pm

BUSINESS & FINANCE

5 Biz Banter 26 LCBA Business Spotlight

GREAT OUTDOORS

8 Under Construction - VIU’s Centre for Shellfish Research

Journalists & Reporters Lisa Verbicky, Nancy Whelan, Rita Levitz, Georgia Nicols, Marilyn Dawson, David Morrison, JoAnne Sales, Harry Sumner & Miriam Shell, Carolyn Walton, Jane Burton, Linda Tenney, Sharon Waugh, Shirley Culpin, Laura Busheikin, Brenda Timbers

14 27 32 44

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

7 16 18 38 40 41

Volunteer Cathy Balogh

Subscriptions

Canada - 1 yr: $25 incl GST United States - 1 yr: $40 (CDN Funds) Call 250-757-9914 to subscribe. VISA & MasterCard accepted

Bill Friessen’s sculpture garden a feature of Mayworks 2010

Printed in Canada - ISSN 1712-0918 Articles and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and published for general information purposes only. Articles are not intended to provide specific advice - the publishers will assume no liability.

Trek On Through the Seasons Tide Table Into the Garden

Mayworks 2010 Griffin Instrument Technologies ECHO Players Speaker Series at EyesOnBC Reel Reviews Featured Artists – EyesOnBC Gallery

COMMUNITY LIFE 6 1 1 20 24 36

Inspired by Community The Art of Conscious Living On the Agenda It’s Happening in Area H Destaffing Lightstations

COMMUNITY PEOPLE 19 The Joy of Being Joyce Beaton 21 For Slackers Only 30 Images & Voices 45 Honour Students of KSS HEALTH

35 Naturopathic Notes 37 Health & Wellness Matters 34 Your Good Health: Choosing Yoga

Articles and/or data may not be quoted or reproduced, in part or in whole, without permission from the publisher. Freelance Writers/Photographers: Queries can be directed to Linda Tenney or Sharon Waugh at beacon@eyesonbc.com

Sea Fever attacks Paul and Laura Bell of Deep Bay

THE REGULARS 46 Classifieds 47 In the Stars 48-49 Community Events 51 Business Information Centre 52-54 At Your Service Index & Businesses

LOCALLY OWNED • COMMUNITY INSPIRED

Linda Tenney co-Publisher tenney@eyesonbc.com

Sharon Waugh co-Publisher waugh@eyesonbc.com

Jeanette Spibey Customer Service jeanette@eyesonbc.com

Elizabeth Cudmore Customer Service cudmore@eyesonbc.com

Margaret Reid Contract Distribution

Frank Hladik Advertising 951-8824

by Linda Tenney & Sharon Waugh

“F

ive...four...three...did the last ad changes get made?...two...did we forget anybody?...one...alright it’s now or never...I turn around to Linda, her finger poised over the launch key and in one decisive ‘no turning back now’ stroke, the 72ND issue of the Beacon whisks its way to the rubber rollers of the press. We all take one deep breath, the shoulders drop, the last round of coffee cups get shuffled into the bin, and a brave soul dares to turn the calendar over ... already looking at the month ahead. Hey! Wait a minute! Is there cause for a two-breath celebration? Hmmm...72 divided by 12 issues a year... that’d be six...what? Is this our sixth anniversary? Whaa-hooo! Our turn to buy the first round of gratitude! So, just like a couple of doting parents, we ritually haul out the archives and wave the first issue of The Beacon...proudly birthed on bright yellow paper, Volume 1 Number 1, sporting eight pages of noteworthy news...a mere shadow of its current six year-old image. Oh, how nervous we were when we asked a few local businesses if they would like to put an ad in our first issue. What a leap of faith that was...for them and for us. But when we look back at that first handful of ‘believers’ we wonder if they really knew how grateful we were for that initial leg-up into the world of publishing, and our continuing appreciation of their loyalty they’ve been with us in every single issue since May of 2004...many thanks to Dr. Ian Smith, Peter Mason, Jim Lynch of NR Insurance and the Union Bay Credit Union. Since then hundreds of advertisers have followed their lead and we never get tired of passing on compliments and referrals from our readers who have discovered great services and products in The Beacon. Our advertisers are the backbone of our business and it’s always an honour to be included in the growth strategy of their business. 4

/ May 2010

To the writers...if we let you loose in the field of unlimited wordage we’d be publishing a book each month...but that speaks volumes for your enthusiasm, skill, and the desire to validate the lives of community members and their passions. Congratulations to Rachel Allen and Susan Urie who stepped-up our status to Beacon grandparents when we welcomed their two new babes this year.

that celebrates the richness and diversity of economic, cultural and social pursuits... each month The Beacon will bring you news, stories and information to highlight and promote those who live, work and play in our growing community.” We feel confident that this mission is as relevant today as when we first put our heads together six years ago, and we thank you all for your guidance it making it happen!

To our team...We welcome two new smiling faces to our Beacon-ette team this month; Margaret Reid will be popping in and out of strategic distribution points from Nanoose Bay to Union Bay to make sure that Beacons are always available for pick-up; and Elizabeth Cudmore is now the bright light assisting us in the EyesOnBC office and gallery. A special thank you to Bob Tenney who was undeniably the best at distributing and seeking out new locations for the Beacon from day one...you gotta love our spouses for their patience, pitching-in and understanding our disappearing acts as work weeks turn into work weekends as well. And how could we ever have made it this far without Frank Hladik, our intrepid advertising “guy” who treats us like daughters and his customers like friends. Thanks Frank! And then there’s Jeanette... the gal that everyone knows and everyone wants to know. Jeanette has been our ‘go to’ girl for so many things for so many years that we’ve lost count. We’re really, really going to miss her when she retires in July.

It’s onward and upward...and we’re looking forward to continuing The Beacon tradition. ~

The Beacon was, and still is, built by community collaboration. Our readers not only ‘read’ The Beacon but they also share their stories with us, and we’re grateful for that. We’ve met some pretty amazing people with pretty amazing lives. We like that, and we thank you for trusting us to share your truth, your legacy. We always smile when a reader comes in to renew their subscription for another two, or even three, years. It’s then that we know we’re doing something right...and we’re expected to keep doing it. So we will! We had a pretty simple mission six years ago “to provide an effective communication tool

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Hi, I’m as big a tree hugger than most. But I think people are being selfish and short-sighted about this coal mine. It’s fine for wealthy people to retire here, but what about the people trying to make a living here. No jobs, and low paying service jobs can’t support growing families. We need the 400+ high paying jobs this mine could generate. The train doesn’t really run through downtown Qualicum Beach. The ore on these cars won’t spill out or cause any pollution or air quality problems they’ll be sealed. And what about the coal in the ground now? Is it polluting our aquifers? The mine will be underground, all that will be visible is a portal, and the shop which shouldn’t cause any great forest loss. What about the biggest water users and polluters on the Island, the retiree’s Golf Courses. The golf greens require tremendous amounts of water and fertilizer and stay green to look like they do. What about the pollution they cause? And the major waste of water? Not one person has mentioned that. What about all the clear cutting our forests to build more golf courses. I say put a STOP to golf course. Save a forest. I haven’t noticed one person objecting to the housing development at Nile Creek. I see a clear-cutting there, bad for errosion by the creek. What about the septic systems near Nile Creek, and run-off from their lawns? Please think of others. ~ Debbie Jestin

by SharOn Waugh

Wyldflower B&B, located at 2665 Bradshaw Road near Qualicum Beach, is a new ‘home away from home’ for visitors, offering three large rooms, all with private ensuites and a full gourmet breakfast served each day – surrounded by six acres of natural beauty complemented by flower gardens and peaceful walking trails. Owner Jocelyn Rod tells us, “I am very pleased to be the first B&B in this part of the Island to offer Scrapbook Retreats to guests seeking a perfect weekend away to do what they love best!” Retreats are offered May thru October and a Grand Opening Special is currently being offered when you book before June 30th. Full details can be found on Wyldflower’s website www.wyldflower. ca or by calling Jocelyn at 778-424-2224. Welcome to the community Jocelyn! Clayton Neuwirth of Klitsa Signs, has recently opened their new shop in the Comox Valley. The recent move from Port Alberni to “Tin Town” in Courtenay now allows the addition of Lighthouse Country to their service area – along with exceptional service and free delivery to area residents. Clayton (who has lived in Lighthouse Country for over five years) is one of three partners in Klitsa Signs – all take pride in their dedication to exceptional customer service and attention to detail. Clayton is looking forward to helping you with all your sign needs, from small jobs to large scale projects, working with you to meet your budget. Located at #103-2456 Rosewall Cres. Courtenay; www.klitsasigns.com info@klitsasigns.com 250-338-4935 toll free 1-877-724-0902 cell 250-898-7036. ESCAPES 4 U TRAVEL TPI is now open for business serving Lighthouse Country and area. Sandy McLary, a Certified Travel Consultant and Accredited Cruise Agent, along with her husband Bernell have recently relocated to Bowser from Alberta, “We are so excited to be here after living away for 23 years, we keep asking each other what took us so long, we love it here.” Having paid close attention to the trend of closing ‘bricks and mortar’ agencies, Sandy has operated her travel agency from a home office for the last five years, enabling her business to be extremely competitive while offering very personalized service. Recognizing that her clients lead full and

busy lives Sandy offers, “I can now work with your schedule as to when to meet, not being confined to a retail location I have much more flexibility. Clients love it. I can book from my office, or from the comfort of your own home.” ESCAPES 4 U TRAVEL TPI specializes in Cruise Travel, Destination Weddings, Group Travel & Escorted Tours – making your dream vacation a reality. Sandy can be contacted at 250-757-9117, sandymclary@gmail.com and website:www. escapes4u.com Welcome Sandy and Bernell! Cheryl Campbell, of Qualicum Beach, has let us know that she has recently made changes to her business – formerly called Display Biz, the new business name, Retail by Design, emphasizes Cheryl’s “service focus and commitment to helping retailers optimize their brand presence through unique and distinctive visual design and display presentations.” The services of Retail by Design include: Store Merchandising, Seminars and Workshops, Special Events and Visual Design and Display. Cheryl can be reached at 250-954-4007, retailbydesign.ca@ gmail.com Just arrived in Qualicum Beach is the Blue Heron Steel Studio. Formally trained artist, Nelson Shaw, is known locally for his unique blue heron sculptures. Nelson’s range of artistic talent in steel has no bounds. From fine art sculpture and garden and home accents, to functional accents such as gates, fences and security bars custom-designed for the buyer. Located one half block east of Memorial Avenue on Fern Street, the Blue Heron Steel Studio is open Monday to Friday, 9-5 pm and Saturday 9-2 pm. Come in to see Nelson’s creations in steel and be prepared to have that special spot at home reserved for your take-home of a unique Island sculpture. Please refer to Blue Heron’s ad on the inside back page.

we waited all this time to move to such a beautiful place,” says Corinne. “Chuck’s has provided trustworthy automotive repair for over 25 years and this tradition will be carried on,” assures Allan. Customer service remains a high priority for the new owners. With the existing staff having more than 35 years of combined experience they are pleased to continue serving their many great customers. Chuck’s is located at 123 E 4th Avenue, Qualicum Beach; call 250-752-5822 to make your appointment for repairs today! A warm welcome to Corinne and Allan! G’day mates! Dr. Tony Bakare has opened the doors of his new store, Downunder Aussie...some Stuff at the Parkswest Centre in Parksville. Downunder offers a fabulous collection of high quality Australian-made gift items – yes, truly aussie-some stuff, full of whimsy and inspiration. Dr. Bakare and store manager Fay Blumhagen (former owner of Beyond Ordinary in Qualicum Beach) invite you to take a trip Downunder. They’re open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am - 5:30pm, #102-192 West Island Highway, Parksville, right across from the Beach Club Resort. 250-586-2228 or downunder@ kingofcouver.com

Allan and Corinne Roby, new Lighthouse Country residents, are pleased to announce that they are the new owners of Chuck’s Automotive in Qualicum Beach. When the previous owners, Dave and Carol Emery, put Chuck’s up for sale it was the chance of a lifetime for the Roby’s. Having lived in northern BC, Alberta and the Yukon for all their lives, they were actively looking for a warmer climate.“ I do not know why / May 2010

CUT THE BLOOMIN’ BROOM

roombusting Season is now upon us, and local broom cutters will be working to control the spread of Scotch broom until June. Broom is a noxious weed that spreads rapidly and densely. It crowds out other plants and makes fields and trails unusable. It’s a tripping hazard for hikers and bikers, it’s highly flammable and forms dense thickets that slows and prevents forest re-growth. It spreads like lightning on freshly disturbed soil, road sides, wetlands, parks, and clear-cut fields and green spaces. Cutting and controlling the spread of Scotch Broom has become an annual event in the Regional District of Nanaimo, local towns, and beyond. Site selection for the annual cuts is largely dictated by community interest and response from local residents. If you want to cut broom, Broombusters is here to help! In 2009 there was a tremendous turn-out at three specific sites: Nile Creek Road, Horne Lake Road (at the southeast corner intersecting Highway 19) and Dunsmuir node (Horne Lake Road and the railway tracks). At the Dunsmuir Community Park, we cleared the public access providing easy

entrance to the space with its picnic benches and basketball hoops. The sites were heavily overgrown with large colonies of broom and its removal was a health, safety and beautification effort. We are hoping to do something similar this year at these and other community sites. The first big community cut will again be at the SE corner of Hwy 19 and Horne Lake Rd. We will return to a 2009 location to clean up and finish what was left behind. It will be on Saturday, May 15th, 10 am – 12:30 pm. If you have areas that you want to cut and/or you want to help please contact Joanne Sales, Director, www.Broombusters. org. (info@broombusters.org) To the Editor,

OW, Rotarians have done it again, thanks to all the people that supported our fundraising events.

wineries, wine agents, the food venues, the firefighters and our own Rotarian volunteers, we would not have the funds to support our community donations, to name a few: the Fire Camp (for training high school students), the KSS Music Program, Milner Gardens, (Shoots and Roots, the Ursus Den), Oceanside Community Response to battle the local drug scene, SOS Recreational Assistance for Children, the Literacy Projects in our community and many more donations in our area. I have not named any organization or persons, as the list is too long. We also raise money for worldwide events from the Gala and our Rotary Welch Park rentals. Vancouver Island Insurance Centres, 101-661 Primrose St., does the bookings for the Rotary Park as a community service, thank you.

The Qualicum Beach Rotary Club would like to thank the news media for their support in advertising our Rotary Spaghetti Dinner March 4th and our Wine Festival April 10th.

Rotary is a non-profit club that puts service above self. If you are interested in becoming a member there are two Rotary Clubs in Qualicum Beach and two in Parksville. Your Chamber of Commerce would be able to give you the informations as we work closely with the Chambers.

Without the support of our local newspapers and magazines, our two radio stations,

Ida Prefontaine, Public Relations Chair, Qualicum Beach Rotary Club

ISLAND PEOPLE

Mayworks 2010 By Jane E. Burton

he 6th Annual Vancouver Island Mayworks Festival will include the opening of Deep Bay artist Bill Friesen’s sculpture garden on May 23rd. Mayworks, a festival of labour and the arts, runs throughout the month of May with events in Parksville, Deep Bay, Denman Island, Cumberland and Courtenay. The first Mayworks Festival was held in Toronto in 1986. Since then festivals have been held in a number of cities across Canada with a goal of raising awareness of social issues through the medium of visual and performing arts. Friesen first experienced Mayworks while living in Winnipeg. He was asked by his brother to help build floats for the May Day parade which traditionally launches Winnipeg’s Mayworks Festival. A Fine Arts graduate who was a Winnipeg City policeman at the time, Friesen was particularly impressed with the spoken word and theatrical performances at Mayworks. Early retirement saw Bill move to Vancouver Island in 1997 to become a full-time artist. While working with the Coalition for Strong Communities in Parksville in 2004 he had the idea to launch a Mayworks Festival here. Working with his partner and fellow artist, Marci Katz, and a small committee, Friesen has seen Mayworks grow into a significant local event that has expanded to include the Comox Valley. The Empty Bowl Soup Kitchen is one of the original and most popular events. May 15th from 4 – 6:00 pm at the Parksville Community Centre you can purchase bowls hand thrown by local artists and filled with soup created by local chefs. The brain-child of potter Les Crimp, this fundraiser for local food banks has raised $3,000 in previous years. Also on the Mayworks calendar this year are two concerts by the Seattle Labor Chorus, three exhibits at the Oceanside Art Gallery, presentations and open mic evenings of poetry, storytelling, and song. May 29 and 30th in Courtenay there will be a mural workshop with Mike Alewitz from Connecticut. Alewitz’s bio on Facebook is impressive and in 2002 New York’s Monthly Review wrote: “The work of muralist Mike Alewitz and the collective

Bill Friesen in his Deep Bay garden ● Jane Burton photo character of his projects draw upon centuries or eons of collaborative activity, from cave paintings to Michelangelo, the Dada and Surrealist movements to political graffiti.” Friesen explains the thinking behind the Mayworks line-up: “The whole idea is to emphasize the lower echelon of society. So it’s not about making pretty pictures of boats and mountains and trees and things like that. We try to get a little more edgy. We try not to offend anybody but make people think; think about themselves and where you fit into this thing we call our society.”

5160 Gainsberg Road, Deep Bay. This free event includes demonstrations from visiting artists, entertainment and a BBQ. Following Mayworks you are welcome to explore the sculpture garden at your leisure or contact Bill Friesen at 250-7572023 for a guided tour. ~ Jane E. Burton is a freelance writer who operates her company Memorable Lines from her home in Fanny Bay. ~

The completion of the sculpture garden in time for the 2010 Festival is the realization of a long-time dream for Friesen. When he first saw the property he visualized the potential for an installation in the stand of old-growth trees. Friesen works with used materials, and enjoys the connection he feels with the workers who originally made them. His painted welded steel sculptures are vividly coloured, whimsical, and abstract. Seventeen of the twenty pieces are currently in place. I asked Bill if any one stood out for him: “The two big pieces. I’m looking forward to seeing those out here. They’re the biggest ones I’ve been able to do since I came out to the coast so that’s kind of fun.” From 1 – 5:00 pm May 23rd the public is invited to visit the sculpture garden at / May 2010

creating community partnerships that work

could ViU’s Centre for Shellfish Research be a passport to prosperity in Lighthouse Country? by Lisa Verbicky

he first time I took my children to Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Milner Gardens was as a mere distraction from restless in-laws that had the week before declared that they were “coming to visit…for a week”. So, I begrudgingly squeezed into the backseat of the hatchback, my sun hat pushed forward over the bridge of my nose, and let my husband drive us twenty minutes south. Whether it was car-sickness or the relief of no longer being stuck to my children in a slick of sweat, my enthusiasm climbed a notch when I stepped out into the gardens’ fir-shaded and flora-scented parking lot. Beyond the log pavilion beckoned a soft trail padding off into a forest as charming as a setting out of the Princess Bride. We spent the next four hours wandering amongst rhododendrons, hiding under kiwi vines, drinking tea, reading interpretive signs, visiting the gift shop, romping on a heaven of fresh cut lawn, learning about gardening, and well, having a jolly good time of it. We have since been back for music and art events, the Christmas light celebration, and am now looking at summer gardening camps for the kids. According to Geoff Ball, Milner Garden’s Executive Director employed by VIU, I have now become one of 250,000 annual visitors to the University’s public gardens. Largely operated by a close community of 225 volunteers clocking some 1,400 hours per season, Milner Gardens has contributed to the local community in ways far beyond one family’s fun. Beyond being a lovely place to visit, Milner Gardens has fostered environmental stewardship with the restoration and preservation of the 70-acre site and its children’s early gardening programs. It has promoted community through its volunteer programs and cultural events. It has trained our young horticulture, biology, geology, forestry, and arts students and set them free to work close to home. It has attracted visitors and wedding parties from around the globe, bringing business to local B&B’s, florists, restaurants, photographers, party supply companies, shops and services throughout Oceanside. So, how does that add up in Lighthouse Country? It’s a good question to ask right now, as VIU’s latest satellite facility, the Deep Bay Field Station operated by the Centre for Shellfish Research (CSR) is moving from its construction phase and into its operational phase. With a soft opening scheduled for September of this year, VIU wants to hear from local residents and businesses about how this, now real, opportunity can best fit into the surrounding communities. What will a university presence look like here? How do we own this opportunity?

Whatever the angle, and even in its infancy, Vancouver Island University’s Centre for Shellfish Research in Deep Bay is an impressive sight and an important new addition to Lighthouse Country.

/ May 2010

“At this point there is a lot of potential for providing local and relevant multi-disciplinary educational programming, cultural events, and local business opportunities,” says CSR Manager, Brian Kingzett. Some of the ideas that have come to the table so far include credit courses/programs in disciplines including aquaculture, biology, business/marketing, aboriginal studies, and the culinary and fine arts.

sity’s ss ng to at of the se, and

k to when ing lot. forest next wi vines, mping ll,

s light or the

“The best way to support our community is to bring revenue to the community,” says Betsy Poel, Director, Lighthouse Country Business Association. The centre also has the facility potential to hold an array of Continuing Education classes, making it much more convenient for local learners who normally commute to Nanaimo or Parksville. Similar to Milner Gardens, K-12 coastal science programs are also being looked at, along with science-based summer camps designed to give kids a deeper connection to where they live. Also like Milner, says Kingzett, the facility has the potential to operate largely on volunteer hours, fostering a local knowledge base, an opportunity for work experience and learning, and a sense of pride, culture and community.

From an environmental perspective, as was done with Milner, VIU students themselves mployed along with local horticulturists and salmon he enhancement groups have been restoring the unity of site’s riparian areas into an attractive public ardens educational model of coastal hydrology. family’s The aquaculture industry itself is, by necessity, a ‘green’ coastal economic driver, ed says Kingzett. Pristine water quality is n of the crucial to the sustainability of the industry, romoted and research taking place on the bottom It has floors of the facility will be watching it very ts closely. d visitors “We want to walk the talk,” says Kingzett. o local nies, The clam-shaped building, designed by McFarland Marceau Architects Ltd. to be LEED Platinum and structurally engineered estion by Fast + Epp (who also worked on the Field Richmond Olympic Oval) is expected moving to serve as a model of green building a soft technology and theory, and an attraction for r from science-based tourism. Lighthouse Country nity will be home to one of the greenest and most ersity unique buildings in North America.

The facility’s teaching kitchen and a elevant potential ‘chef in residence’ will also d local serve to accommodate special events like weddings, conferences, and tours which dit are expected to provide several business opportunities in accommodation, recreation, e arts. and retail sectors.

“The Deep Bay Shellfish Centre is a fantastic project that will be of great benefit to the area as a whole,” says Milner’s Geoff Ball. “There’s definitely potential for us at Milner Gardens to work as partners along the way.”

Like graduates from Milner’s programs, it is expected that students of the new centre’s programs will likely continue to work in our area, in other areas around Vancouver Island, in coastal areas in British Columbia and worldwide.

Community involvement is one of the items on Brian Kingzett’s ‘to-do’ list as the CSR project manager, now operating under a growing VIU regional strategic plan to promote the economic, environmental and social health of coastal communities.

The LCBA will be meeting to discuss with Kingzett business opportunities and challenges that might come with the centre’s revenue generating plans.

According to Kingzett, the regional plan is taking stock of how best to promote coastal prosperity through teaching, research, service, and partnerships at each of its campuses in Cowichan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Powell River, Qualicum Beach (Milner Gardens), and now in Deep Bay with the CSR. The long-term viability of the industry-based research centre, says Kingzett, depends in large part on its inclusion of the area’s businesses, residents, community groups, aboriginal communities and schools into its business plan. The benefits to the community, says David Kerr, a Director of the Lighthouse Country Business Association (LCBA), depend primarily on how well the University’s programming links to overall local community economic development. “We need to look at what relevant skills are coming out of the centre’s programming and what the potential is to keep young workers from taking those skills elsewhere. Some universities don’t consider this,” he says. According to VIU, the Deep Bay facility is being built primarily as a science-based research centre supporting the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of a $38 million annual provincial ($20 million/year locally) aquaculture industry that supports coastal communities with over 1,000 direct and 600 indirect jobs provincewide.

When asked, for example, about competing as a venue for events with the Lighthouse Community Hall, Kingzett replied that the venues would be appealing to different markets. “The two venues may even complement each other,” says LCBA Director, Betsy Poel.” Other opportunities for business in the area will also be discussed, says Poel, including signage that directs students, researchers, and tourists through the commercial area enroute to the facility, an alternate highway access into the centre, and online marketing opportunities. “The best way to support our community is to bring revenue to the community,” she says. “I think the centre will draw people locally, from up and down the Island and internationally,” says Patti Stubbs, a LCBA Director. VIU is keenly interested in gathering information to help shape its future role within the community and is seeking input from students, community organizations, First Nations leaders, partners in education, and the public. Let VIU know what programs and services you would like to see by commenting at wearelistening@viu.ca or by calling 250753-3245 local 2389 and visiting http:// viudeepbay.com ~

/ May 2010

By Jane E. Burton

he Baynes Sound Garden Club was formed in January 1975 “to increase members enjoyment of and knowledge of their gardens, and to encourage fellowship and enthusiasm among those who like to garden”. The focus of the club has changed a bit over the years but one thing has remained constant, it is a great way to network and socialize with other gardeners. The club currently has about fifty-five members who come from the Fanny Bay, Bowser and Deep Bay area. They meet monthly at the Old Age Pensioners Hall in Fanny Bay. In addition to club business, meetings usually include a guest speaker and a parlour show for members to showcase their flowers or plants. In the club’s early days these “bring and brag” sessions were much more serious in nature with members acting as judges who provided full critiques of the other members’ presentations. Things are much more casual now as people describe to the group what they have brought and answer questions. The meetings are also an opportunity for members to bring gardenrelated items to share with others. Guest speakers cover a wide range of topics from unique plants to practical tips on pruning. Garden Coach Harry Sumner, of Parksville, is a club favourite who at the April meeting provided an entertaining and easy to understand introduction to softwood and hardwood propagation. There are a number of very skilled gardeners in the club, including a number of master gardeners, who also share their knowledge with the group. Every meeting includes a break for coffee, tea and treats. The social aspect of the club is very important. Activities also include garden outings and each summer there is a short tour of some

/ May 2010

Juanita Purin with plants for the May 8th sale ● Jane Burton photo local gardens followed by a memberhosted social. Long time member Erma Wilson sums up why she still enjoys the club: “I think there are an awful lot of wonderful people in the garden club and it’s a nice social event and we all love gardening.”

people will come together to share their knowledge, to learn new things. It’s that group of people that like to play in the dirt – but there’s also the component of the social. People really make that extra effort, the baking that they do, the goodies they bring, and it’s very community-minded.” ~

Club president Alaine French describes the mix of needs that are met: “It’s based on people having a shared interest, and it is plants. And

Don’t miss the 11th Annual Spring in the Country Plant Sale, Saturday May 8th 9 – 12 noon at the Fanny Bay Community Hall...it’s a no miss event!

who shall we listen to? BY JOANNE SALES

ho shall I listen to? How do we find reliable sources of information, insight and truth? A local newspaper sat on our counter for a few days. Without my reading glasses, I could only read the headlines. The CEO of the mining company was explaining why he thought a coalmine on Vancouver Island was a good idea. My lack of reading glasses kept me from being swept up with “details”. Instead, everytime I walked by the paper, I was struck by the oddity that we asked the person who has the most at stake for the unbiased truth about the issue. Is that possible? It’s hard for any of us to give an unbiased opinion ever, but especially when the stakes are high.

their ’s that As a child, my brother called me a parrot the nt of the because I was so gullible. As children, we ra effort, all are gullible. We adopt the opinions, s they preferences and worldviews of our culture nded.” ~ without screening. But as adults, we have to choose whom we will listen to. It isn’t in the a choice to choose – we HAVE to choose. 8th So it’s important to look for objective, mmunity reliable sources, when we need to make big decisions.

We are all influenced by what we take in. Here are two examples. One day a good friend began babbling unfounded, accusative, derogatory hogwash. It was so unlike him. So we asked, “Who have you been listening to?” Oh my. No wonder. He had been listening to a popular talk show on H.A.T.E. radio. Another example. An astrologer friend told us that the only time she supported the US invasion of Iraq in 1991 was during the three hours after she ate a Big Mac at McDonalds. Once the Big Mac digested, she remembered why war was a bad idea.

Decades ago, my 8th grade teacher told us: “Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you read.” And that was even before the Internet! Now we have to be even more discerning. Recently, I wanted to refind the source of some information posted on our Broombusters website. I finally did, but at first, whenever I did a search, the only information I could find was my own! Quite often that is the case. When we decide to “think about it”, we’re inundated by our own opinions. We’re stuck inside our own mind. But which voice in our mind shall we listen to? Most of us will admit – “There are many of me.” We slip in and out of moods, attitudes and personalities, just as we slip in and out of clothes. Emotions send us flying off the map, and then we calm down and become someone else. Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain scientist, explained that emotional surges like anger take about 90 seconds to spike. So for those 90 seconds we aren’t our usual selves. Our opinions change. An old Russian proverb states: “Morning is wiser than evening.” Given the changeable weather of our inner landscape, this bumper sticker makes sense, “Don’t believe everything you think.” For the six weeks of Lent, my sister gave up “despair”. She realized that despair had been bringing her down – so she gave it up. After Easter she realized her choice of voice had such a positive impact on her life that she has decided to stick to her Lenten resolve. It is really freeing to realize that we don’t have to adopt the opinion of the first loud mouth that grabs the microphone of our minds. If we take the position of an independent observer, we can give all the relevant voices some airtime – but we don’t have to believe them or act on their

opinions. We can just listen and observe. It’s great to have that higher ledge to sit on. While we’re on that ledge, it’s a good idea to listen to the silence. Listening to silence opens a door to “the other half” – the right brain, intuition, the subconscious mind, or whatever you choose to call it. That is the gift of wisdom that comes from a walk on the beach, a short nap, meditation or prayer. Some of the greatest discoveries in science have been made while the scientist was taking a walk or a nap. Einstein frequently took walks in order to let new ideas percolate to the surface without his intellect getting in the way. Kekule solved one of the great mysteries of chemistry while he slept and dreamt of a snake eating its own tail. Upon waking he applied his insight and discovered the benzene ring. If we can get quiet enough to hear it, our “best” opinions may come from the same intelligence that keeps our hearts beating and the sun shining. Do we really have choices about which voices inside we will listen to? Apparently we do. Do we have choices about who we listen to outside of ourselves? Yes again. In both cases, we have freedom to choose – and the responsibility to choose well. There are biased/objective, unwise/wise and lower/higher sources of information and insight. So it’s good to keep asking – Who am I listening to – and why? ~ Joanne Sales is an organic blueberry farmer, writer and EFT Counselor living in Qualicum Beach. joanne@glasswing.com.

/ May 2010

Business Profile

by Dr. Chris Gill

entistry has come a long way over the years - gone are the days of grumpy old men with archaic equipment and no thought for pain control - and Bayview Dental & Implant Centre (BDIC) in Qualicum Beach continues to lead the way when it comes to staying on top of modern technology. One of only a few dental clinics on the Island with a CT Scanner, this friendly, family-oriented, full-service practice has been a fixture in Oceanside since 1977. With three dentists, Dr. Chris Gill, Dr. Paul Connor and Dr. Vic Kooner, three hygienists, four friendly front-end staff, four Certified Dental Assistants and an in-house lab for crownwork, the team is well-rounded in highly qualified expertise.

PERIODONTAL (GUM) DISEASE Did you know ... • Up to 30% of people are genetically susceptible to gum disease, and six times more likely to develop periodontitis, its more serious form. • Periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. It can destroy the jawbone and supporting tissues and alter your appearance. • The inflammation that is caused by gum disease can cause stroke and heart attack, and the infections it causes can get into your bloodstream and cause heart problems. • Respiratory diseases, cancers, osteoporosis, diabetes and complications during pregnancy are all side effects linked to gum disease. First time home buyers - best time to buy! 12

/ May 2010

• Poor dental health and gum disease can lead to the loss of teeth which over time can move or tip adjacent teeth into the gap that is created.

• Loss of the tooth root can lead to shrinkage of the jaw bone that can age the face prematurely. This can affect a persons self confidence and smile. • Studies have proven that regular check-ups and cleanings save you money in the long run. Proper care and maintenance of your gums is crucial, not only for the life of your teeth but for your overall health.

i-CAT SCAN – imaging science and its benefits: The i-CAT scan at Bayview Dental provides a 3-dimension, digital re-creation of the skull which determines bone density. This stateof-the-art machine helps in the placing of implants, diagnosing cysts or tumours, and for sinus pathology. The scan can identify TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) problems and also aids in the successful removal of wisdom teeth by allowing the dentist to see the roots of the tooth from every angle. By being able to examine a 360 degree perspective of the jaw bone and teeth, Bayview’s expert dentists can also diagnose Bruxism (grinding and clenching of the teeth). “Most people aren’t aware that they may clench or grind their teeth, and the effects that it can have,” says Bayview owner Chris Gill, pointing out that tooth wear due to Bruxism can lead to sensitive teeth, to bony changes in the TM joint, and also cause headaches and joint sounds like clicking and popping. “Pain is not always a symptom.”

IMPLANTS and their benefits; Bayview’s dental implants are designed to replace the root of a tooth and restore the physical appearance and the chewing function of patients with partial or full tooth loss. By integration with the jaw, they enable restorations that range from replacement of one single tooth to an entire arch of bridgework. If a patient has existing dentures that are loose-fitting, dental implants can stabilize this denture for a more comfortable, secure feel. The same applies for new dentures, which can be either fixed or removable. All of Bayview’s dental implants are made from high-grade titanium, which is strong, durable and biocompatible.

WHERE TO START The first step is to book a consultation with our resident Implant Doctor, Dr. Paul Connor, who will determine your bone density and evaluate your medical history for any conditions that may interfere with the healing process. Our dental implants here at Bayview Dental can transform your smile and your confidence by simply replacing a missing tooth, providing a solution to denture problems, or by totally reconstructing your look. For more information or an appointment, call 250-752-6968. For more information on i-CAT technology go to www. imagingsciences.com Conveniently located across from the Town Hall in Qualicum Beach, at 202-661 Primrose Street, Bayview Dental & Implant Centre always welcomes new patients. ~

Sharon Waugh photo

“Your possessions should set you free like a boat or a pair of hiking boots. If you work for your possessions and they don’t set you free, what are you working for?” ~ Anonymous

by sharon waugh

ith the heralding in of spring by ‘ripe and ready’ herring and the accompanying raucous behaviour of gorging sea lions, a quick decision was made when Jan Kretz, of Adventuress Sea Kayaking, generously invited me to come along on one of her sea lion kayaking tours in Northwest Bay, near Nanoose Bay. Having grown up on the coast, I’ve had the opportunity to paddle around a little, exploring some remote nooks and crannies and can regale a tale of landing a couple of coho, from a small kayak, without really thinking through what I was going to do with them after a net-less capture and a small cockpit to cram them in. So the invitation by Jan was a good call to introduce the opportunity of trekking on the water to those who may have been thinking about going out for a paddle but

/ May 2010

wanted to get a feel for what you really do need to know even before you hit the water – without investing in a boat to capture that first experience. The Northwest Bay tour, geared for novice kayakers, started with a thorough evaluation of the current tide and wind conditions even before the first boat was unloaded from the trailer racks. Jan, wanting to make sure that the first experience was the best one for firsttime paddlers, offered the option of rebooking under calmer conditions. With an explanation of how the afternoon northwesterly was still building the amplitude of the choppy waters and that a change in the tide was going to offer a little more resistance to the paddle on the return, some opted to change their plans for the day. Safety first, knowing your physical capability and comfort zone on the water is always

important when evaluating any launch. For those that were carrying on with the paddle, a very thorough run through of the mandatory safety equipment and rescue procedures was accompanied by a demonstration of stroke techniques and then we were ready to take to the water. With our cameras safely nestled in dry bags we headed over to the log booms where sunbathing sea lions taunted the boom man and his boat with throaty threats and, not-so-polite, bilious belching. Under the watchful eyes of the two Adventuress guides the gaggle of kayaks circumnavigated the bay, captured the sea lions on film and bucked the tide back to the beach...relaxing, yet warming up some upper body muscles and definitely clearing away a few mental cobwebs. continued next page

Linda Tenney photo

There are several ways to get yourself out for a paddle: it could be as simple as having a friend who is willing to share the basics with you; or you could contact a local paddling club such as the Cowichan, Nanaimo or Comox Valley Paddlers and query the availability of programs for beginners and/or who they would recommend for courses and guided excursions. There are a few local festivals on the horizon at which several brands and types of kayaks are available for you to sea trial. Here you will be able to experience the differences in the boats, matching your physique with the scope of kayaking you are wishing to experience i.e. are you looking for a day-tripping fairweather boat or desiring to launch on extensive seagoing expeditions. At the Deep Bay Harbour Festival, Sunday May 1st 10 - 4pm, seek out Adventuress Sea Kayaking to try out a kayak in the harbour. On May 15 and 16th, in Ladysmith, the Vancouver Island Paddlefest is a week-end long festival for paddlers of all ages and abilities; rest assured that the latest and the greatest will be on display with over 100 makes and models of kayaks available to trial.

A kayaker’s dream photo op: a Salish Sea denizen awaiting for his photographic ‘moment’

Wondering where you can plan some trips to paddle locally? A good resource is the websites of Vancouver Island paddling associations; pull up their schedule for member outings and you’ll discover their favourite trails, complete with parking tips, charts, navigation recommendations, trip difficulty ratings and even recipes! Private companies, such as Jan’s, will offer day expeditions and multi-day wilderness tours, all of which are guaranteed to provide some ‘soul-time’ to realign your personal rhythm with wind, water and aquatic creatures.

Did you know that canoeists and kayakers, in partnership with the provincial government, are working to build the longest and most extensive trail system in British Columbia? The BC Marine Trails Network, a proposal to cover nearly 22,000 kilometres of BC coastline will become the largest water trail network in the world, hosting a series of interconnected marine trails, with strategically located camping, launch and landing areas – the BC Marine Trails Network Association is looking for your partnership in this large undertaking. Back to landlubbing in June! ~

Set sail...set sail, upon the ocean. Vaulted / Open concept 180 Sunshine Place

u lt n ound te

BEAT the HST!

Upon a dream, a flighty notion. Reach out, reach high, and touch the sky.

Selling Agents Welcome!

~ LT

/ May 2010

had so moved Case and I three days prior. It seems we are all related, my friends… Anyway, I also learned plenty more about Griffin during those 30 minutes, including that one life path was clearly signposted for him as a child. “I got my first guitar when I was 10 years-old and have been around guitars and guitar players since that time,” he begins. “And high school is when you first think ‘I’ve got to start a band’, just like Bryan Adams sings about in that song. (He means Summer of ’69, of course). When I first heard that song I thought, ‘How did he hear about me? He’s singing about me here!’”

TIM GRIFFIN

Griffin Instrument Technologies By David Morrison

’ve spoken before in these pages about the power of coincidence, and how wonderfully random events of this nature have a habit of occurring in my life. To an extent it has happened again, surrounding the article you are now reading. A short while ago I was on Texada Island for a working weekend. On the Saturday night I watched Elvis Costello’s Spectacle show on TV. One of the guests, singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester, performed a solo acoustic version of Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding (from his current release, Love Filling Station) so spellbinding and beautiful that it reduced fellow guest Neko Case to tears. Me too. Three days later, I spent an entertaining half-hour in the telephonic company of luthier/musician Tim Griffin, of Griffin Instrument Technologies in Qualicum Beach. As he regaled me with tales of his life in music and otherwise, Griffin happened to mention he once did some recording with Ron Dann, one of Canada’s finest ever exponents of the pedal steel guitar. In researching Dann’s full credentials after our conversation, I noted that he worked with such iconic artists as Murray McLauchlan and Ian Tyson and, wouldn’t you know it, Jesse Winchester. So there I was, chatting breezily away with a guy who, unbeknownst to me at the time, was one of two degrees of separation from the legend whose performance 16

/ May 2010

So, after getting his first real six-string (not at the fiveand-dime, but under the Christmas tree), and having a band that tried real hard (The Invaders), the young Griffin really began to learn his chops post-high school after joining a serious English outfit called Piccadilly Circus. “I went on the road in 1969,” he continues. (I so hope it was in the summer!). “They were already an established professional touring band that had played all over England and in Italy, France, Germany and Spain, and they were touring Mexico, the US and Canada. It was an excellent band playing whatever was popular at the time. I remember we drove past this big outdoor festival we heard about in upstate New York, and it turned out to be Woodstock!” Griffin’s love of guitars and similarly stringed things led him to his profession for the last 26 years: the art of luthiery or, to the layman, constructing and repairing them. He loves nothing more than to play his handcrafted dobro, the reward of many weekends of patience and skilled application. Luthiery takes plenty of both, but would naturally suit an individual with an aptitude for technicality. Having spent many years working in highly technical arenas, this is where Griffin excels. For example, he used to be a weapons technician in the (Royal) Canadian Navy, proudly serving on HMCS Bonaventure. (This vessel was the last aircraft carrier to serve the Canadian Navy. Decommissioned in 1970, her anchor now stands in Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, NS). “I’ve always tried to challenge myself technically, and they needed people in that branch of the Navy,” Griffin explains. “I also worked at Northern Telecom for four or five years on a robotics line – robots placing components on printed circuit boards – so I think all of the skills I have now in luthiery work, I probably owe to Northern Telecom and the Navy.” Griffin moved to Qualicum Beach three years ago from Calgary, where he had been working as a luthier at the Calgary branch of Long & McQuade. It was here where the opportunity to join another band arose. “The manager of our band department was also the leader of this 18-piece jazz band,” he tells me, referring to Southern Stardust (www.southernstardust.ca). “When I’d work on people’s guitars, I’d play them to test my work. I knew some jazz things and so the band manager said I should come try out with his big band. So I went and, sure enough, they liked me – and I absolutely loved them – so

ms we are I stayed with that band for four years. After a year they asked me to sing. We did a live radio show on CKUA, which was the first during time I sang with the band, but at the end of clearly the four years I was singing 12-15 songs a ar when I night. Ha-ha, everybody thought I was Frank nd guitar Sinatra! A friend of mine gave me a CD of hool Frank live with Count Basie at The Sands ust (Sinatra at The Sands: Reprise, 1966) and means I listened to I’ve Got You Under My Skin t song I about, ooh, a thousand times, and just stole g about all of his stuff!”

Griffin is quite the jazz fan, citing such fiveas Hank Garland, Herb Ellis and Barney ng Kessel as favourites or influences. Country ng music, too, plays a big part in his life, with chool the legendary ilk of George Jones, Lefty dilly Frizzell, Merle Haggard and Ernest Tubb s. (I all receiving the Griffin seal of approval dy an during our chat. Interestingly, when I yed all pressed him on his favourite guitarist, after Spain, a. It was at the estival d out to

much agonizing (“Ooh, oh…er, oh lord… oh lord…sigh…oh…gosh…sigh…”), it was a guitarist most associated with country styles that Griffin was keen to talk about, notably the lessons he learned from him at an impressionable age. “I heard a radio interview with Chet Atkins when I was about 12 years-old,” he recalls, “and he was asked: What sort of advice would you give to young players starting out, Chet? I remember him saying learn all the styles of music, not just one – learn rock, folk, country, jazz, Peruvian yak music if there is such a thing! – because the more styles you’re able to play, the easier it will be to get work as a musician. I thought what a smart guy he is, so I’m going to do what he said!” It is so obvious when talking with this charming man that he truly loves his work.

To illustrate this I feel the only way to wrap this up is with the words that concluded our conversation, as they speak volumes about Griffin and his motivation: “A guy brought me his dad’s 1937 K acoustic flat top guitar in three Safeway bags and said: ‘I don’t care how much this costs, but I want this guitar to play.’ But I said to him: ‘I think it’s my ethical duty to tell you I’m going to charge you over $1,000 to rebuild this guitar, but when I do, it’s going to be playable.’ So I rebuilt it, and he was in tears when he picked it up. I thought to myself, that’s what keeps me doing this.” ~ Griffin Instrument Technologies is located at 4148 W Island Hwy, Qualicum Beach. For more information visit www.gobc.ca/griffin or contact Tim Griffin at (250) 240-4520

ngs art of ing dcrafted and but e g in ls. in HMCS rrier to 70, her x, NS).

, and Griffin four or ponents lls I rthern

o from at the where manager s hern work on knew should re em – so

www.oaktreehealingenergy.com

Cut Broom in Bloom at ground level with loppers

Protect native species, farms and forests. There are Community Cuts near you. It’s easy & fun. Can you help?

Questions?

www.broombusters.org info@broombusters.org / May 2010

SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL E

CHO Players’ last play of the season is fast approaching. School for Scandal, a 1700s restoration comedy, will run from June 9 – June 26. We are delighted to have Michael Armstrong as the director. Michael is celebrating his 40th year in the theatre. He is an accomplished actor, director and award winning writer and it has been a long time dream of his to direct School for Scandal. ECHO is thrilled to have him do this on their stage. We are confident that this play will tickle the hearts of all who attend. Reserve your tickets early to be sure of your favourite seat by calling the Box Office at 250-752-3522, e-mailing info@echoplayers.ca or by calling into the Village Theatre at 110 West 2nd Street in Qualicum Beach. A SYNOPSIS BY RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN (1751-1816) The middle-aged and wealthy bachelor, Sir Peter Teazle, has married the young and comely daughter of a country squire. The fashionable society of which Lady Teazle through her marriage becomes a part, occupies itself mainly with malicious gossip whose arrows no one, however chaste, can completely escape. By far the most dangerous of these backbiting cliques is the one led by Lady Sneerwell.

/ May 2010

This lady is attempting through lies and letters written by the forger, Snake, to break up the love affair between Charles Surface and Sir Peter’s ward, Maria, hoping to get Charles for herself. To this end she has joined forces with Charles’ brother, Joseph, a hypocritical youth who enjoys an excellent reputation in contrast to his brother’s wild and extravagant habits. Joseph has his eye on the fortune that will one day come to Maria and is backed in his suit by Sir Peter who has been utterly fooled by the young man’s righteous exterior. Maria sees through Joseph, however, and turns a cold ear in spite of her guardian’s expressed wishes. Meanwhile Sir Oliver Surface arrives unexpectedly from Australia. He hears such conflicting reports of his nephews and prospective heirs that he decides to look them over before he makes his arrival known. He approaches Charles in the guise of a money lender and in the famous “auction” scene buys the family portraits. Throughout the transaction he is impressed with Charles’ high sense of honor and obligation to those less fortunate. When he approaches Joseph as a poor relation begging help, Joseph is revealed in his true colours. Now gossip has linked Lady Teazle’s name with that of Charles Surface, but in reality

she has been indulging for fashion’s sake in an affair with Joseph. The rumours about Lady Teazle and Charles come at last to Sir Peter’s ears and, much distressed, he goes to Joseph’s apartment to consult with him. Lady Teazle, who is enjoying a tryst with Joseph, sees Sir Peter’s arrival and hastily hides behind a screen. Sir Peter, in turn, hides in a closet, when Charles unexpectedly arrives. The latter inadvertently reveals Lady Teazle behind the screen and Sir Peter, coming out of his closet, revises his estimate of Joseph. Lady Teazle throws herself on Sir Peter’s mercy with the frank confession that she was pretending to an affair because it was the fashion, but admits that her only real interest is in her own husband. Sir Oliver, meanwhile, has rounded up Snake, the forger. His confession brings about reconciliation between Charles and Maria, and Sir Peter gladly withdraws his objections to this match. ~

The Joy in Being Joyce Beaton BY SHIRLEY CULPIN

very community has individuals who fly under the radar of public attention. They are seldom, if ever, mentioned in the media. More often than not they labour in a ‘backstage’ capacity. Joyce Beaton is one of those ‘under the radar’ people. The whirlwind with the auburn hair and twinkling eyes has contributed much over the years to the social fabric of Oceanside, not to mention significant financial support to a number of worthy causes. Best known as a founding member of the band Celtic Chaos, and as the mother of burgeoning folk music talent Emma Beaton, Joyce is the driving force behind many local live music events. She hastens to stress, however, that many of her accomplishments would be impossible without the help of her army of family, friends and volunteers. Her impish humour and sense of fun make it easy for folks involved with her projects to volunteer their time. “I just get these ‘ideas,’” says Joyce, laughing. “Then everyone gets together and helps to make the ideas reality.” The road to Qualicum Beach and her passion for the fiddle and music has been long and varied. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Joyce endured what she calls ‘coercive violin lessons’ as a child. The classical genre and the regimented classes simply didn’t mesh with her joyful, energetic personal style. “As soon as I left high school at 17 I quit playing,” she recalls. “I didn’t pick up a violin again for 25 years.” The intervening quarter century supplied Joyce with enough other challenges that there was never a dull moment. Married to husband John at 19, Joyce completed her Bachelor of Education and in 1979, again due to one of Joyce’s ‘ideas’ the young couple, two small children in tow, emigrated to Calgary. “I just suggested that it would be interesting to go someplace else for a couple of years,” says Joyce. The ‘couple of years’ stretched to a decade in the Alberta city. Joyce had two more children, completed her Master’s degree in

Joyce Beaton on fiddle ● submitted photo Education, worked full-time, and earned a diploma in Special Education. At the end of 1988 the Beaton family took up residence in a tiny house on 10 acres in Qualicum Beach. The family eventually settled into a larger home they had built on the property. Their final child, Emma, arrived and life settled down – to some degree. Every Tuesday morning John would catch a ferry from Nanaimo to Vancouver, where he worked as an actuary, returning home on Thursday nights. That routine continued for 18 years until John’s recent retirement. Joyce has taught at various schools since the family’s arrival in Qualicum Beach. At Oceanside Middle School she was instrumental in organizing an annual ‘30-

Hour Famine’ which benefited World Vision Canada to the tune of $40,000. She now teaches special needs students four days a week. Joyce took up the fiddle again in 1996. Each week she traveled to Hornby Island, arriving there before 9am for her lesson in ‘fiddling’, as opposed to ‘violin’. “For me there is no joy whatsoever in playing the violin,” says Joyce. “Playing the fiddle brings me joy, and joy is paramount.” From then on, there was no looking back. Joyce took to fiddling just as her husband had to great fly fishing rivers – which, incidentally, were the deciding factors in continued on page 25

/ May 2010

BY MARILYN DAWSON, REPORTER

t’s not often that residents of any town get to plan their future. There’s often a disconnect between town and town council, as if only elected members with the help of staff get to decide how a particular town will look, with little input from the populace. So it was a fascinating experience for those Qualicum Beach residents who, beginning early last fall, started making plans for the future, at least as far as 2050. The Town invited everyone to participate in workshops that would eventually create a Sustainability Plan, to guide change and be an overall influence to the Official Community Plan. The concept of Sustainability is difficult to grasp, first because there is a visionary element to it, and also because the word itself is so weighty. It needs translation into modern speak, something catchy that even the dense can easily understand. The World Commission on the Environment and Development defines sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”, or, as one resident put it, “don’t use natural resources faster than they can be replenished and don’t deposit wastes faster than they can be absorbed”. Oversimplified, perhaps, but at least understandable. The workshops at the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre were led by Mark Holland of HB Lanarc Consulting, which is compiling the study for the Town. At each session residents were asked for input on a variety of fundamental subjects – complete community land use, low impact transportation, community health, sustainable food systems, progressive infrastructure, economic prosperity, healthy landscapes and green buildings. Residents were urged to be bold in their thinking; what might seem impossible at present may not be 20 or 30 years ahead. “In the last five years the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has 20

/ May 2010

come up with a zero waste initiative, which is incredibly advanced. Five to 10 years ago this was crazy thinking,” Holland said. At the same time he cautioned that there is time to alter the plan when necessary, because any town changes slowly. The sessions created a thick file of ideas, objectives and target goals for 2050, which leave the village atmosphere intact with a thriving commercial core amid compact residential development and tourism facilities. The downtown should be connected to neighbourhood and natural areas “through a network of roads, ecological greenways and alternative transportation use”. Residents didn’t always agree but they made it clear they want their agricultural lands protected and the character of Qualicum Beach maintained, including “pedestrianfriendly community public spaces, historically-styled architecture and no largeformat commercial stores.” As Mr. Holland pointed out, residents don’t want Qualicum Beach to “look like Woodgrove…and they don’t want to drive to Woodgrove to get what they need.” Other objectives are: preservation of watersheds, agricultural lands and the waterfront area; a convenient transit system, a diversity of housing and a network of small commercial nodes (i.e. café or convenience store) close to individual neighborhoods. Fast forward to 2050 and, if all goes as envisioned, 90 percent of Qualicum Beach will live less than a 15-minute walk away from a café and a convenience store and the distance from all homes to community transport will be no more than a 10 minute walk. Private automobiles will have been replaced by low-carbon vehicles and bicycles; scooters and electric cars will be the other modes of transportation. Of course,

there will be green streets, the first one projected to be ready by 2015. On such hot-button issues as housing, particularly affordable housing and community health, the plan has few suggestions. One objective reads: “provide facilities and services that address the needs of the entire population including housing, food, health care, etc.” and, “all residents of Qualicum Beach have their basic needs met, including housing, food and shelter”. That’s a watered-down version of the vision set out earlier seeking a full service medical facility offering urgent primary care, palliative care, ambulatory care, etc. The residents’ health wish list is beyond the Town’s control. In fact many of the plan’s goals can only work if the other jurisdictions involved are on side. For example, the Town has worked closely with the RDN on recreation and food waste and has also signed the Provincial Climate Action Charter, agreeing to be carbon neutral in its civic operations by 2012. About one per cent of the population turned out for these sessions; most were at least middle-aged and this fact was a concern of speakers from the floor, who urged the Town to engage the younger generation and also find ways for them to be able to afford to live and work here. The Town makes it clear the plan is not legally binding, but a guide to the future, and subject to change, if necessary. ~ Turn to page 33 “Qualicum Beach Chamber Disappointed with Council’s Approach to Public Input” for the business community’s response to the Public Hearing on the Qualicum Beach Sustainability Plan held Monday, April 19th, 2010.

The Ultimate Core Workout

For Slackers Only

By Brenda Timbers

t takes people of all ages and interests to keep a culture vibrant. Our community, on the inner coast of the Vancouver Island, hums with energy and with the arrival of spring people are heading outdoors. Susan Voerman of Powerhouse Fitness Club in Bowser’s Magnolia Court passed along information on one of the many outdoor hobbies of a local resident, Curtis Lalonde. Curtis is a fan of a balance sport called slacklining. He made his way to the Island from Winnipeg via Squamish and loves his life on the Island. “This is the most beautiful area, you can snowboard and climb rock, and it’s definitely the warmest climate in Canada.” In a local park, Curtis loops webbing around two trees and stretches out a length of webbing about three feet above the ground. With one foot on the line and the other searching for the perfect balance point in the air Curtis comments, “I like getting the word out about this. It’s a great way to work out for all kinds of sports; snowboarding, windsurfing, skateboarding. It’s good for just about anything, and it really strengthens the core muscles.” He spins around with both feet on the line, surfing on a wave of webbing that sways with every move. The spring in the line creates a trampoline effect, perfect for tricks. Curtis is becoming a familiar sight in local parks as he steps easily onto the swaying line and begins to illustrate the fine balancing act that keeps him in the air. The moves all have names, and you can surf, jump, walk, and ride the line. Some enthusiastic slackliners do yoga moves in perfect balance. In Squamish Curtis became involved with slacklining when he met Jason Charlton, a Canadian entrepreneur who started up the company of Slackers Slacklining. As a sport, slacklining has been around since the 70s and is credited to climbers at Yosemite Park. After a day of climbing, they would experiment with balance games in the evening and slacklining emerged. Jason Charlton sees slacklining as the next ‘Frisbee in the park’ sport, and he is committed to making sure public areas are treated with respect, wrapping trees to protect the bark from any damage. A “Dirtbag” Slackline Kit is the basic package that contains all you need to start up, and costs $110. The Blue Collar Kit has longer webbing and two ratchets and costs $140.

slacklining kits. It’s the ultimate cross-training workout, walking the line for ten minutes tunes in your core and is like doing a hundred sit ups without any damage to your back. It wakes up your micro-muscles. For most people it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to get the hang of balancing on the line.”

“We use military-grade webbing and industrial stitching, and keep our costs low by doing our manufacturing in-house,” says Jason. “We’re the first Canadian company to put together

If you’d like more information about slacklining kits, or about the sport in general, check out slackersslacklining.ca. If you see Curtis balancing in a park on the Island, say hi. He loves to talk about his sport. ~

Curtis Lalonde ▪ Brenda Timbers photo

/ May 2010

ADVERTORIAL

By Carol Plaisier

uch has been written about the aging baby boomers, trillions of dollars of assets changing hands and a more educated retirement population in the future. This is a very general statement, and is probably correct in a general sense. The financial planning, though, cannot be generalized and is as individual as one’s fingerprint. It is based upon career circumstances, such as receipt of a pension other than the government Old Age Security (OAS) and Canada Pension Plan; it is based upon your attitude towards money, such as a conservative or an aggressive investor and whether you are a spender or a saver. There are thousands of investment options available, and unless you do a large amount of research, it will be difficult to choose the right solution for yourself. Instead, the majority of people will be looking to investment advisors for the recommendations that will give them the best chance of achieving their financial goals. If you do not have a basic understanding of the types of investments, you will have to take the word of the advisor that they are offering you the best option for your circumstance. Retirement can last over twenty-five years and outliving their money is a concern for many; therefore, some may decide to work longer, or to put travel plans or the purchase of a large ticket item on hold. It is for this reason that a carefully thought-out budget after retirement and definite retirement

/ May 2010

lifestyle objectives have to be discussed and determined. A general rule of thumb is to decrease your equity holdings and increase fixed income allocation as you get older, but, as life expectancy increases, deciding on asset allocation percentages is not as simple as subtracting your age from 100. (For example, same say if you are 60 years-old, 60% of your portfolio should be in fixed income products and 40% in equities). Depending on when you started investing, it is possible that your portfolio will be held longer during retirement than during your working years and it is important that you do not negate equities totally. It is likely that inflation is in our future, and unless your portfolio is large enough to sustain you for the rest of your life without growth, equities will play a part in your portfolio’s future. If you have zero risk tolerance and are fortunate enough to have the assets to comfortably last you for the rest of your life, whether by portfolio assets, or various sources of monthly income, you have to be cognizant of the facts that you may lose some of your government benefits by way of clawback, and your dollar will be losing purchasing power. So how do you decide who to trust with your assets? Would you trust a stranger if you didn’t understand what you were going to be invested in? It is more likely that you would sleep better at night if you knew

what holdings were in your portfolio. This shows that financial education is important for success and the lack of knowledge around money issues can derail retirement plans. In addition to disclosure around costs and fees, the logic behind the advisor’s recommendation should also be discussed prior to investing. It is important that your advisor provide you with information that explains why the recommended product will help you to reach your goals and objectives. An explanation such as ‘this investment will diversify your portflio, decrease your level of risk and create a tax efficient monthly cash flow’ will make more sense than ‘this investment is a diversified portflio managed by third parties’. ~ For further information, Carol Plaisier, Investment Advisor, can be reached at the DundeeWealth office in Parksville (250) 248-2399, or by email: cplaisier@ dundeesecurities.com www.carolplaisier.com This article was prepared by Carol Plaisier, CFP®, FMA, AMP (Accredited Mortgage Professional) who is an Investment Advisor with Dundee Securities Corporation, a DundeeWealth Inc. Company. This is not an official publication of Dundee Securities Corporation and the author is not a Dundee Securities analyst. The views (including any recommendations) expressed in this article are those of the author alone, and they have not been approved by, and are not necessary those of Dundee Securities Corporation.

By Lotar Maurer, CGA ADVERTORIAL

home business expenses

f you are self-employed, you may be able to deduct certain expenses related to a home office – provided certain conditions are met. The following applies to individuals operating a business as a sole proprietorship or a partnership; the rules for incorporated businesses are different. The Income Tax Act (ITA) restricts the deduction of home office expenses, in the first instance, to expenses that are: 1) reasonable under the circumstances, and 2) necessary to earning the income from the business, and further restricts them to situations where either of the following two conditions exist: a) the work space is the individual’s principal place of business, or b) the work space is used exclusively for the purpose of earning income and is used on a regular and continuing basis for meeting clients or customers. The term “principal place of business” is not defined in the ITA, but if the work space is the only “office” from which the business is operated, it will usually qualify as the principal place of business. This will be the case even if the majority of the actual work of the business (for example, fishing charters) is carried on at another location. However, if the business has another location with an office (e.g. a commercial storefront operation with some office space or facilities included), it will be difficult to argue that another office at the individual’s home is the office from which the business is operated.

In contrast, under the first condition, shared space or shared use of a common space IS eligible for deduction of expenses – restricted, however, to allocation on a percentage of use basis in addition to allocation on a percentage of space basis. For example, your office may be 100 sq ft of a 2,000 sq ft house, making 5% of the expenses deductible if the office space is dedicated to operating the business; but if the “office” space is used 40 hrs per week for running the office, and doubles as a family room the rest of the time, then the 5% use is further reduced to 40/168ths of the 5%. Once you’ve determined whether an expense deduction is allowed under the two conditions, following are the major costs commonly eligible for deduction: • Mortgage interest (not mortgage principal or payments);

Lotar Maurer CGA

Full Service Financial Management . . . for your business . . . for yourself 752.9223 1.866.352.9223 lotar.maurer@islandcga.c0m www.islandcga.com 107 663 Beach Road, Qualicum Beach, BC

Certified Financial Planner

• Property taxes, • Rent, if you rent instead of own the home, • Heat, electricity, water and other utilities, • Routine maintenance and repair expenses (not major improvements or renovations to the dwelling), • Home insurance. Depreciation (capital cost allowance in tax terminology) on the dwelling is also allowed, but for reasons beyond the scope of this article is rarely recommended or taken. Once you have determined the eligible portion of the eligible expenses, there is a further restriction – these expenses cannot create or increase a loss from the business. The expenses can only be used to reduce the income from the business and, at worst, to bring the business income to zero. However, any work space in home expenses not claimable because of this restriction can be carried forward and used in a future year, subject though to all these same restrictions. ~

Even if the work space is not the principal place of business, expenses of the work space can still be deducted if both of the conditions in part 2 above are met. This means that only expenses related to a work space that is completely dedicated to these two activities – earning income and meeting clients – will be deductible. No deduction is allowed under this Please see Lotar Maurer’s ad on this page for condition for shared space or shared use of a his contact information. common space.

$479,000

/ May 2010

Email: dwbartram@shaw.ca PH: 757-9737 • FAX: 757-9705

It’s Happening in Area H

by DAVE BARTRAM, RDN AREA H DIRECTOR

Greenhouse Gas Emission Targets in Official Community Plans (OCP): Bill 27, enacted by the Province requires all OCPs to address how the RDN will provide direction and take action to reduce Greenhouse Gas in the Electoral Areas. Specifically, OCPs must include targets for the reduction of Greenhouse Gas and policies and actions with respect to achieving these targets. Therefore the Electoral Area Planning Committee approved amendments to Electoral Area OCPs which support the Provinces targets to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by 33% below 2007 levels by 2020 and 80% below 2007 levels by 2050 and for the amendments to go to the RDN Board of Directors to be introduced and First and Second reading. District 69 Recreation Grants: The RDN Board of Directors has approved Recreation Grants in Electoral Area H of $1,424 for the Lighthouse Community Centre Society and $2,500 for the Lighthouse Recreation Commission.

License Renewal Thompson Clarke – Ocean Trail trail: The RDN has renewed the License to Use Agreement with Mr. and Mrs. G. Cousineau for a five year term for the continued community use of the Thompson Clarke – Ocean Trail trail. Derelict Vessels: The Association of Vancouver Island Coastal Communities (All Regional Districts and Municipalities on Vancouver Island and the Sechelt Peninsula) agreed to form a task force and passed a resolution to work with the Province and the Federal Government to develop a coordinated approach to the timely and adequate removal of all types of derelict and abandoned vessels from its harbours at little or no cost to the harbour authorities. National Volunteer Week April 18 – 24 and Emergency Preparedness Week May 2 – 8: Did you know that Canada has 12.5 million volunteers and they contributed 1.2 billion hours of their time to benefit others? Think of all the volunteers you know that make our community our community…Volunteer Fire Fighters, Water District Trustees, Service Clubs, Community Organizations, Emergency and Neighbourhood Preparedness Personnel, Hall Board, Community Club, Lighthouse Recreation Commission, Friends of the Bowser Library, PAC and many more. If you are a volunteer, THANK YOU, and if you are thinking of becoming a volunteer you are badly needed. When you see a volunteer please personally thank them for their commitment to our community as they are the glue that makes it all work. ~

4647 Thompson Clarke Drive E., Bowser

/ May 2010

The Gallery at EyesOnBC Featuring original art, prints, books and hand-crafted products of local Artists, Authors and Artisans.

A Triple-A experience in Bowser!

757-9914

6996 West Island Hwy Bowser

Marketing & Advertising

Development Permit Applications: The Electoral Area Planning Committee approved applications to construct a house at 5229 Island Hwy West; the relaxation of the minimum 10% perimeter frontage requirement in conjunction with a two lot subdivision at 6208 Island Hwy West; the construction of a house on Lot 5 Charlton Drive; the construction of an accessory building and additions to an existing house at 44 Bowser Road; and to vary the parcel averaging provisions in conjunction with a phased four lot subdivision at 230 and 238 Kenmuir Road.

EyesOnBC Community Info Centre A few spots are still available in the EyesOnBC in-house Community Information Centre for racking your business cards, rack cards or flyers! Call 757-9914 for more information. From $10/month It’s where locals and visitors find their service people!

Plant Sale Announcement

e invite you to spruce up your gardens and attend our outdoor Plant Sale taking place on May 16, from 12 noon to 4 pm at the Bowser Legion. The purpose of this event is to raise funds for the Community Emergency Response Generator that will be used to heat the hall and provide cooking services to local residents and families requiring food and shelter in the event of a disaster (i.e. earthquake, tsunami, or storms causing extended power outages). Don’t have a green thumb but wish to make a financial donation? We will also be gratefully accepting cash and cheque donations. If you are a gardener and do have plants to donate, please drop them of the 13th. And, if thinking about becoming a member of the one of the hottest action spots in town…check it out! Open to the General Public - Snacks and Beverages available.

Business Showcase Rescheduled - This event has

been re-scheduled from May 16, 2010 to October 10, 2010 and will be open to all local and home based businesses serving all communities located between Qualicum Bay and Fanny Bay. Proceeds from this event will also go toward the Emergency Response Generator Fund. If you wish to reserve table space to display your goods or market your service, please contact Pam Smyth 250-757-9559.

The Joy of Being Joyce Beaton ▪ continued from page 19 where they settled. Listening to her play her lively tunes is a sublime experience. Joyce has been instrumental in bringing top musical talent to Qualicum Beach through contacts nurtured in her extensive musical travels. Every week she teaches, free of charge, a group of beginning fiddlers. She is the dynamic behind the Acoustic Café – an eclectic mix of local talent and professional musicians that regularly fills Qualicum Beach’s Rotary Hall to overflowing and has helped provide relief funding for victims of the Haiti earthquake. Combined with proceeds from two of Celtic Chaos’ CDs and the Robbie Burns dinner organized by the Beatons, cancer organizations have benefited to the tune of upwards of $60,000. The Beatons’ home also frequently hosts house concerts, a variety of music workshops, post-concert kitchen ceilidhs and jam sessions that often go to the wee hours. As far as Joyce is concerned there can never be too much music in the world, and fiddling is good for whatever ails you. Judging from her vitality, drive and zest for life, she is probably right. It’s doubtless no coincidence, either, that ‘joy’ is such an integral part of her given name – Joyce brings that to so many people in so many ways. ~

/ May 2010

2010 LCBA AGM Highlights

he 2010 LCBA Annual General Meeting was held at the Arrowsmith Golf and Country Club March 25th, 2010. The evening began with networking and introductions followed by dinner at which the guest speaker, John Tapics of Compliance Coal Corporation, presented information about the proposed Raven Coal project. Member questions followed. A few of the LCBA highlights of the past year included:

• Completion and distribution of the 2009 Lighthouse Country phone directory with expanded circulation to include Fanny Bay and Union Bay. • Completion of the Association bylaws, accepted in their entirety buy vote at the AGM • An increase in membership of 12 % • Spearheaded funding efforts and assisted in organization of the community Olympic Torch event, initiated by late President Barb Lyotier. Recently, the LCBA donated an Olympic Torch to the Bowser Elementary school as a last memory of the Torch relay and Barb’s spirit which sparked the community’s efforts.

For the upcoming year, the LCBA board outlined plans to expand membership participation through their newly formed membership services, marketing and finance committees. Primary goals include: increasing networking opportunities, more newsletters, overhaul of the current LCBA website (www. lighthousecountry.com – check it out! Send us your thoughts to LCBA@shaw..ca), new LCBA community signs at the Horne Lake pull-out and initiating the production of the 2011 Lighthouse Country phone directory. Board elections also took place at the AGM and were as follows: Existing Board Members/ One Year Remaining: Dave Kerr, Lighthouse Trucking Patti Stubbs, Clipperart Hair Salon Bon Thorburn , Thor Consult Ltd Re- Elected for Two Year Term: Dietmar Baumeister Quint, TOMM’S Food Village Betsy Poel, Bowser Builders’ Supply Dennis Ponto, Professional Accountant Open Positions: Director at Large/ one year term, and Director at Large/ two year term Board positions will be decided at the next Director’s meeting, on May 4th, 2010. Thanks to the following members who generously donated door prizes for the evening: EyesOnBC, TOMM’S Food Village, Gonda’s Studio for Hair, Things & Stuff Old and New, Dennis Ponto Professional Accountant, Knockananna Grill, Bowser Builders’ and Arrowsmith Golf and Country Club – also to whom special thanks go for a delicious dinner and great service. ~

ARROWSMITH AUTO & TOWING LTD

Diesel Repairs

/ May 2010

Now where do they go? by Nancy Whelan

ack in late February and into March, our skies, waters, and beaches were white with gulls. Gradually their numbers thinned and now we’re back to the usual number of scavengers helping to clean up the shorelines. This phenomenon presents a few questions: Why did those gulls gather here in such huge numbers? Where did they suddenly all come from? Now where have they gone? Except for the Glaucous-winged gull which is a year-round resident here, most of our common gulls are on the edge of their winter range and are squawking where they ought. Still, until this particular time of year we see them only in reasonable numbers. So the late winter influx is not a true migration, but rather a party-crashing event as in, “Hey guys, I see the herring are back, let’s get over there and get our share!” Suddenly all these gulls are participating in a theory called “local enhancement” which is common among such birds. When the more observant among them see and hear a bunch of their kind feeding voraciously, they scramble to the scene. Other gulls naturally see/hear the hub-bub and join the crowd. And so it goes all up and down our coast… one flock sees and follows another and the feast is on…double digit thousands of gulls forcing birth control on the hapless herring who’ve come in their own thousands to spawn. When the herring escapees move on and their beached eggs have been depleted, the gulls too, when there’s no more free lunch, burp their way back to their usual coastal haunts. The little fishes who prompt the feeding frenzy are Pacific herring who at three years of age move inshore from deeper waters to spawn among beds of kelp or eel grass, and the males’ milt, released to fertilize the females’ eggs gives the shallower waters a milky hue. The herring have already

proved their mettle by reaching this stage of maturity, having escaped the predations of hoards of other scaly species including salmon, lingcod, and hake, the dogfish, and the waiting maws and beaks of sea lions and birds. Varying water temperatures and storm stress also affect the survival of the seemingly innumerable herring. When the herring do arrive at their chosen spawning areas, other predators are waiting to take the joy out of the little fishes’ spring orgy. But that is the way and the means of life along the coast and we can only marvel at the patterns of the gory food chain that maintains the variety of life on land and sea. One of those predators is the eager eagle watching from his beachside Douglas fir lookout. And this spring, a very special bald eagle is keeping his keen eyes on the beach party. Back in October, on the Beacon’s pages, you met “Michael”, that summer’s fledged but starving young eagle who was found near the Big Qualicum River and taken to the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (NIWRC) where he was given little chance of survival. But Michael’s survival instinct was strong. Brought to NIWRC on August 19th, by September 10th he was moved by Robin Campbell from “hospital” to the flight cage where he soared effortlessly to a perch at the far end of the huge building. Though

now healthy and strong, this was not the time to release him to the wild. So Michael spent the winter months gorging on protein-rich donated food, perfecting his aerial maneuvers, building up his muscle mass, and no doubt showing off to his fellow flight cagees. Then, on March 20th this spring, with the herring and their spawn thick at the beaches, and the air full of screaming gulls, it was time for Michael’s debut. It was a calm, sunny

Seagulls in Bowser ▪ Lauri Gwilt photo morning when Robin carefully eased Michael out of his dog-kennel travelling cage in the back of the truck. It was a heart-wrenching few moments watching first the taloned yellow legs, then the sturdy feathered body, and finally the flustered and outraged head of the big bird appear. Indeed, the thrill was akin to watching a baby’s birth. When Michael had settled down somewhat, Robin instructed the Beacon’s Sharon Waugh on how to grasp the eagle’s feet in her gloved hands, tuck his body tightly under her arm continued on page 31 / May 2010

Rage Italic Imprint MT Shadow Boomerang

FULLY LICENSED

115 2nd Avenue, Qualicum Beach, BC GarysBistro@shaw.ca

/ May 2010

If you haven’t been to Giovanni’s ...

Visit these fine restaurants on the Internet for a peek at their complete menus and more ...

Fanny Bay Inn

www.fannybayinn.com

Gary’s Bistro

www.zapbc.com/garysbistro/2.htm

Giovanni’s BackRistorante by

... you haven’t been to Qualicum Beach!

www.giovannisqualicum.com pop

ular demand ~ oDeez Grill ur dBar eli& cio us ~ www.deezbarandgrill.com

Early Bird Dinners

Served 4pm to 6pm daily • except holidays

Fish ‘n’ Chips

Dutch Inn 1 piecOld e Hal ibut & chips The Windmill

Your choice of entrée... 6oz Bacon-wrapped Beef Tenderloin Filet of Chicken in Sweet Curry Sauce Crusted Almond Sole Dutch Halibut Fish & Chips English Cut Prime Rib & Yorkshire Pudding Schnitzel Champignons

www.olddutchinn.com

DON’T ERASE THE BENEFITS IN YOUR GLASS OF WINE

diet than the average, while experiencing lower incidents of heart disease.”

(NC)—The human body benefits from the polyphenois properties of red wine, namely resveratrol, melatonin, and flavonoids. The key to experiencing these benefits however is moderation.

Melatonin is present in red wine, produced naturally by the body in small amounts, and is thought to delay the oxidative damage and inflammatory processes that are typical of old age. Flavonoids are also antioxidants. Flavonoids are believed to help the body neutralize certain free radicals, which may otherwise trigger the type of cellular activity that leads to cancer.

Health specialists recommend that to stay in the range of beneficial activity, the average man may consume two, 5-ounce glasses of wine each day, and the average woman should be limited to one, 5-ounce glass per day. Any more than this and the benefits are erased. “Resveratrol is naturally produced by grape skin contact during the fermentation process of red wine,” says David Long of the Canadian Craft Winemakers Association, an organization that supports professional techniques for making wine at home. “A high dose of resveratrol seems to mimic the effects of reducing your daily calories by 20% to 30%. In fact, several studies have suggested that resveratrol may explain why the French culture is able to eat a higher fat

Moderation with wine consumption is also beneficial when it comes to the weekly shopping budget. “For most of us, saving money is always a priority,” Long continued, “so do remember that the newest innovations in consumermade wine give you countless varieties at half the price. In fact, the exactness of a winemaking kit today produces, in eight weeks, as much as 30 bottles of dependable, high quality wine which is so much fun to make. ~ More information is available online at www.winemadesimple.ca.

All entrées served with potatoes/rice and fresh vegetables Entrees will change regularly

PER PERSON

ONE-STOP ACCESS FOR FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION (NC)—A new website offers one-stop access for all your questions about food safety. Launched by the Government of Canada, this food safety website brings together all government information on food safety in one place. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, which work together closely on food safety, have collaborated to develop this new site. This new website will be the place to go for recalls and food safety information. The food safety website provides a broad range of food safety information, such as safe food handling and preparation, food labels, food recalls and allergy alerts, and foodborne illness. It also describes how consumers, government and industry must work together on food safety.By signing up for email alerts, consumers can receive food recalls and allergy alerts ht to their email inbox. You can also report a food safety problem. Visit www. HealthyCanadians.gc.ca ~ / May 2010

Serenade for Strings

Billie Burgess

I sing a serenade for strings; For ties of family that nourish us And give us strength and heart To weave among the thunderclouds; For puppet strings that keep us on our feet ‘til we can balance for ourselves; for strings on kites of fantasy that bear our dreams aloft; for silken strands of memories that catch us in a magic web; for strings of Christmas lights and baubles which glitter merrily each year; for golden strings of light that glow when we have lost our way and need a guide to bring us home. Hear my serenade for strings.

A woman with wow! Factor by Rita Levitz

illie Burgess writes of sailing ships and dancing; gardens and pharaohs; of churches and spires, sad songs and lyres; of oceans and seasons, storms and skies; celebrations and goodbyes...“When I was writing, it wasn’t a question of thinking about it – it did itself.” Writer, wife, mother, grandmother, intrepid traveler, music lover, keen observer…after ninety-three years (and counting) of a fullylived life, Billie Burgess remains a woman of keen wit, intelligence and surprises. “I was born in Ottawa, but when I was thirteen my father got transferred to Vancouver, so my mother decided we’d join him. She packed us up, three kids and a dog, and drove across the country.” “I was very different from my adventurous mother and from my husband Norm, who had a strong personality. I was a little prune, afraid of everything, but I can hold my own now. I had to be strong, raising three boys. They were a lot of fun, and they still are.” Billie met her husband Norm at the University of British Columbia. In 1946, Norm got a teaching job in Port Alberni, and the family spent thirty years there. While in Port Alberni, Billie pursued her desire to remain connected with the University. “I was never a good student, but I cherished my association with people who were.” She founded the Port Alberni chapter of the Canadian Federation Billie Burgess • Rita Levitz photo

Online Digital Ordering • www.qualicumpharmasave.com

/ May 2010

continued next page

of University Women and spent six years as Provincial Director for BC West. “It was a very broadening experience. I met many interesting people and traveled all over the country, starting new branches and contributing to communities.”

continued from page 27 Now where do they go?

Having spent many of his young years fishing in Powell River, her husband Norm wanted their sons to experience a similar lifestyle. “In 1958 we bought this property in Bowser, ten acres, three hundred feet of waterfront – it was thick with trees, all the way down to the water.” The tent camp in Bowser became the place where they spent most of their summers, where their sons, and their sons’ friends, shared many happy times. “The neighbours thought I was running a boy’s camp,” Billie laughs, “and sometimes I thought so too. Years later, our son Jim built us our retirement home here.” However, Billie’s restless curiosity was to take her way further than just “over the hump”. “In my teens I had read Seven Years in Tibet and I had to see it. It was China and Tibet first, in 1982, and Egypt came next.” She sometimes traveled with her husband, sometimes with her good friend Joan Cavers, and sometimes by herself, to places as diverse as Russia, Central Europe, Malaysia and Australia. The evening I spent with Billie, she showed me the album she had recently put together of her 1989 trip to India and Nepal. When I commented on her detailed captions, Billie responded, “You wouldn’t expect me to forget it in twenty years would you? Wouldn’t be much point in going then…” Two years ago Billie traveled to Iceland by herself. “I didn’t cause their banking problems!” she is quick to reassure. What is even more remarkable about this trip was that it came five years after she had been hit by a car in Qualicum Beach, and thrown thirty-seven feet. “I’d been golfing, and was crossing Memorial to continue my game.” After her hospital stay, the next step would have been a facility to recuperate. “My sons and I knew that once I got into one of those, I wouldn’t get out again, so we put a bed here” – she points into the living room – “and, because of my broken pelvis, it was a month before I was allowed to move at all.” Billie is an avid bridge player, with regular games at the Lighthouse Community Centre, the OAP Hall in Fanny Bay and “anywhere there’s a table. Do you play bridge? It’s fun and a challenge…”

Sharon Waugh with Michael the Eagle ▪ Linda Tenney photo and firmly hold his head in a bowed position. A short walk to a cleared space, Sharon knelt, released her grips, and Michael, without the least hesitation, caught some air and propelled himself into a huge fir near the Big Qualicum estuary. Another predator was on duty at the beach feast. It was the perfect time for Michael to return to his home territory – he was strong, food was plentiful, and there was yet no competition from other fledgling eagles. In a couple of years it will be hard to recognize Michael, for he’ll have exchanged his mottled head and tail feathers for the white plumes that mark the mature Bald Eagle. Meanwhile, the little herring must be on the lookout for the largest of their party-crashers, prowling offshore. Diving, surfacing, rolling, waving a flipper, and bark, bark, barking, the California sea lions on their northern migration greedily help with herring crowd control. But this is a males only spree, while the females are busy in the nurseries of California and Mexican waters. And so goes the seasonal cycle of comings and goings and the evercircling chain of the food supply. It’s grim, it’s breath-taking, and it’s simply the way things work. ~

No, I think, sadly, but it is one more thing you have inspired me to do…~

/ May 2010

Our tide table measurements are taken from the Denman Island substation. For other tides, visit http://www. waterlevels.gc.ca/english/Canada.shtml on the Internet.

May 2010

/ May 2010

population cap? Where’d that come from?

he Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce along with eight others spoke at the Public Hearing Monday night regarding the Town of Qualicum Beach Sustainability Plan. Seven of the eight speakers disagreed with council capping the population at 11,000 in the Plan as the population cap was never discussed at the public meetings held in 2009 and early 2010. The population cap was added at first reading at the Town Council meeting of April 7th and supported by Mayor Westbroek and Councillor Avis at a time during the meeting when only three members of council were present. “One can’t help but wonder why there is a need for a Public Hearing if there is no will by the majority of council to listen to what people actually want” said Chamber President Pat Weber. “It is very disheartening to have so many people spend many evenings giving of their time because what happens in the community matters to them only to have their words fall on deaf ears. We believe a 30 year Sustainability Plan is NOT the place for a population cap” Weber added. “This important restriction was added which did not form a part of the public consultation or hearing.” “We were amazed that following the public meeting on March 30th where many recommended changes to the document were put forward by residents that so few of them were incorporated into the Plan. Even more discouraging was that after so many people at both the Public Meeting and the Public Hearing suggested that there was more work to be done on the economic and social impacts of the plan their recommendations were ignored. As a business organization we can’t help but be concerned about what the future of Qualicum Beach looks like for our businesses and the residents they serve” said Weber. “If this plan is implemented as part of the Official Community Plan Qualicum Beach will be so unaffordable in a few years there won’t be much in the way of services” he added. ~ submitted

RDN SEEKS A NEW VISION FOR YOUTH RECREATION

he Regional District of Nanaimo is inviting local youth and residents of all ages to help develop a new vision for recreation programs for youth aged 11-18 in District 69. Focus groups, surveys, and a public workshop on May 28 will provide input for the Youth Recreation Services Plan for District 69, to be completed this fall. The plan will provide guiding principles and objectives for RDN youth recreation services, from 2011 to 2016. “We are asking people to tell us which youth recreation programs and services are most important, or in need of development, to help us shape a new plan that will meet the changing needs and interests of youth in District 69,” said Dave Bartram, member of the District 69 Recreation Commission, and RDN Electoral Area H Director. “It’s possible that many young people in our communities don’t have access to recreation programs, or simply aren’t interested in what’s available right now, and we want to address that as well in consultation.” For more information, or to get involved in the focus group, please contact RDN Recreation and Parks Services at recparks@rdn.bc.ca or 250-248-3252, or 250-752-5014.

NEW HOMES RENOVATIONS LANDSCAPES

BRUCE FLEMING-SMITH MRAIC LEED AP OCEANSIDEDESIGN.CA

250-752-2909

RECONNECTIVE HEALING: Energy, Light and Information. Trusting the healing you receive will be the most appropriate for you, which is always for the higher good. Mind, Body, Spirit.

PULSED MAGNETIC THERAPY: for pain relief, to energize at the cellular level which stimulates and re-balances the natural healing energy of the body.

DETOXIFICATION: Using AQUA CHI - foot bath detox is a stress-free, comfortable and relaxing way to clear toxins from the body. MASSAGE: to promote relaxation, improve circulation, relieve stress and restore a sense of well-being (table or chair). Independent Distributor of

IT WORKS!

an inch loss, weight loss, detox program www.oceanside.itworks.net

#11 • 221 Second Ave (Chilham Village), Qualicum Beach, BC Hours: Monday to Saturday • 9:30am to 4:30pm

/ May 2010

committed teacher will have plenty of training, and, when you ask them about it, will be eager to talk about the subject. That being said, back in the old days, there were few formal training programs and many of my favourite teachers had no certificates at all. So if you have a really good feeling about a teacher, and/ or they are highly recommended, don’t reject them because of lack of paperwork.

Your Good Health

5. Clarify your priorities. Yoga can be used for physical healing, emotional healing, improving posture and body mechanics, weight loss, stress release, personal growth, general well-being, calming the mind, exploring yoga philosophy, improving sports performance, and more. Think about what you want, and find the right class. 6. Learn a few basic distinctions about yoga schools and types of classes:

by laura Busheikin

hen I began practicing yoga 19 years ago, there were just a handful of yoga styles on offer.

Since then, there has been a kaleidoscopic flowering of yoga in North America. I began teaching yoga about 12 years ago, and have greatly enjoyed watching – and being part of – this phenomenon. We now can choose from Ashtanga, Iyengar, Svaroopa, Restorative, Kripalu, Hatha, Tantra, Anusara, Dru, Kundalini, Bikram, Integral, Vinyasa...even Kick Box Yoga and Burlesque Yoga. You can find yoga for people in wheelchairs and yoga for elite athletes, yoga to heal your sore back and yoga to bring inner peace. The variety is vast…and overwhelming. Where to start? Here are seven tips for picking a yoga class, whether it’s your first ever, or you are an experienced practitioner curious about different approaches. 1. Find a real live teacher. Sure...use DVDs, on-line yoga classes, and iPod yoga apps, but only as supplements. Not only can a real person respond to your individual strengths and needs, they provide encouragement, motivation and human connection. As well, yogic tradition speaks of something called “transmission” – an indefinable energetic gift passed down from teacher to student. It’s hard to get this from a bunch of bytes. 2. Shop around before you commit. Most teachers and studios have a drop-in option and will let you attend one or two classes. Try out different styles and different teachers. Ask your friends for recommendations. There is often a personal alchemy that makes one teacher just right for you. Once you find that, stick with it. 3. Shop around after you commit: Stay open-minded. Your relationship with your yoga teacher, or chosen yoga style, is not a marriage. At a certain point it will be good for you to try other classes. Embracing diversity prevents rigidity – surely not a quality that goes well with yoga. Your life changes, your body changes, your interests change, so let your yoga change. 4. Check out the teacher’s background. The standard for teacher certification is a minimum of a 200-hour course, with registration either through Yoga Alliance or the Yoga Association of BC. A truly

/ May 2010

Flow, vinyasa, restorative, hot, and gentle are types of classes. All those others – Kundalini, Anusara, Kripalu, etc. are schools or lineages of yoga, some with trademarked names, most of them deriving from one original teacher. The Internet has plenty of information about these different schools. Hatha is a yoga word that is often misused and mispronounced. Here’s the truth: It is pronounced Hut-hah. And it doesn’t describe a type or a school of yoga. According to the yogic texts, Hatha yoga is any yoga that works directly with the body’s energy through asana (posture) and pranayama (breathwork). So, most of yoga today in North America is Hatha. However, these days, the term typically describes a class that integrates teachings from a number of schools, instead of sticking to just one. 7. It can be helpful to think, and ask, about, the following three yogic continuums: • Vigourous versus restful – yoga can range from a sweaty, challenging workout to a series of relaxation exercises, to anywhere between these two poles. • Precision versus process – some yoga focuses on very detailed alignment of the body; other styles encourage you to do the poses in a way that feels good to you. • ‘Western’ versus ‘Indian’ – would you prefer to avoid things like chanting, prayer, references to Indian deities, and mystical or philosophical teachings? Or is this cultural heritage part of what attracts you? The beautiful thing is that both ends of these continuums are good, with their own unique pros and cons. All yoga is powerful. Regularly, people report that yoga has transformed their bodies, their feelings, their health and, yes, their lives. I’m one of them! Above all, I encourage you to get out and try yoga. Nineteen years ago, in the pre-Google world, I simply went to my local Recreation Centre and signed up for Tuesday night yoga. I had no idea what I was getting into. Ten minutes after I got home from my first class, I was practicing in my living room, and I haven’t stopped since. Approximately 30 million North Americans share this passion. I hope the above information will help you join us. ~ Laura Busheikin teaches yoga on Denman Island and Vancouver Island, yogawithlaura@telus.net or 250-335-2089.

Chronic Pain.....

I’ve got your back! M

The Path to a happy heart is through the stomach by Dr. Margret A. Holland, B. Sc., N.D.

#3, 702 Memorial e e, ali m ea

250.752.2732

atients will often come in with a list of symptoms that may include: belching, nausea, heartburn, racing heart, irregular heart beats and/or changes in blood pressure. It is easy to see that some of these symptoms may be related to stomach function whereas others are more related to the heart. Gastro-cardiac syndrome explains how both of these may actually be intertwined. The vagus nerve innervates both the stomach and the heart, irritation of this nerve can result in abnormal function of both of these organs at the same time. Another possible etiology for Gastro-cardiac syndrome is through direct irritation of the heart via the diaphragm. If the stomach is not functioning properly, gas may develop, if not released, this gas may actually cause the stomach to slightly displace upwards, putting pressure on the diaphragm. This pressure then refers up onto the heart causing it to change position slightly. Any shifts in the heart’s position can result in symptoms such as those mentioned above. If you suffer from a list of complaints that include both the stomach and heart, you may wish to consider the possibility of this syndrome before beginning a regime of medications. Treatment of this condition is determined by the actual stomach condition that is occuring. While many patients are taking antacids or other medications for their heartburn, they may actually be suffering from too little stomach acid secretion. The use of antacids, proton-pump inhibitors or H2 antagonist will provide relief to the patient for the short-term but over the long-term will result in further complications. Proton-pump inhibitors have been implicated in nutritional deficiencies by interfering with the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. This acid is produced to facilitate the break-down of the foods you eat. Interfering with the digestive system in this way may result in poor availability of the nutrients from your food. Stomach acid is important for the absorption of vitamin B12, iron, calcium and zinc to name a few. People taking medications to alter their stomach acid may also be more prone to infection with H. pylori and parasites.

Barbara Rady RMT Registered Massage Therapist

Member Since 1981

Determining if you are secreting too much or too little stomach acid is the first step to be taken before beginning any medication. This is a simple test that can be done under the guidance of a Naturopathic Doctor.

250  240  7155

#204 Magnolia Court, Bowser BC

V0R 1G0

There are a number of treatments that can be used to rectify the problem and send you on your way to a healthy stomach and a happy heart. ~ Please refer to Dr. Margret A. Holland’s ad on this page for her contact information. / May 2010

Chrome Island ▪ Real Lachance photo

ast September, Coast Guard bureaucrats decided to take another run at destaffing lightstations, but due to a very strong public outcry, Fisheries Minister Gail Shea stated on October 1 that there would be no destaffing without a review. In an interview with CBC Radio on April 15, Minister Shea stated that the review has been handed over to the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. The Committee had already heard from Minister Shea and Coast Guard Commissioner George da Pont on April 13 and da Pont addressed them again on Tuesday, April 20. Although the public talks of last September should have been educational, there continues to be a lack of understanding in Ottawa about the importance of the work carried out by coastal Lightkeepers. When questioned by the Senate Committee about the role that Lightkeepers have played in Search and Rescue, Commissioner daPont, in acknowledging their contributions, stated that it was ‘only because they (the Lightkeepers) happened to be there’. True, but perhaps not delivered with the right intention. It’s not a coincidence that Lightkeepers ‘happen to be there’. Lightstations were placed in strategic, coastal locations and continue to be of considerable benefit by their manned 36

/ May 2010

presence, witnessed by a recent incident on Trial Island – one of the first on the list for destaffing. Marking the eastern entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait it was the initial target because of its close proximity to Victoria – both the vantage point and tasking of personnel to requests for support provide ample opportunity for assistance to the public. In 2009, ‘because they were there’ and attentive to weather changes and marine traffic, the lightkeepers rendered first aid to a group of 12 kayakers; two of whom had dislocated shoulders and five of whom were hypothermic requiring hospitalization. Later that year, during increasingly high winds, the lightkeeper, having climbed the tower specifically to watch for boaters in difficulty, spotted, three miles away, three people clinging to the hull of an overturned vessel which capsized before a distress call could be sent. From the keeper’s vantage point, she was able to successfully direct assistance to the distressed mariners. What might have happened if she was not there?...and these are only two examples of assistance given at just one Lightstation! On the coast, there is a wide appreciation for the many services provided at Lightstations. It is the ability of the Lightkeepers to adapt to the changing (sometimes by the hour) requirements of their work that allow for the variety of services. But the effectiveness

of the services is in direct relation to their performance from these platforms where the infrastructure is in place; where the geographic position has ‘history’ (an understanding of the implications of current conditions, for long term weather data collection, and for other scientific studies); and where the location is strategic with visual expanse and often at a landfall or traffic correction. Indeed, ‘because they are there’ and can prioritize as conditions warrant, lightkeepers can synchronously perform such duties as: monitor VHF radio frequencies, update and report changing weather conditions, visually ensure vessels and air traffic make it safely through treacherous territory, and perform maintenance tasks. At any given time they are available and willing to assist any government operation. The variety of responsibilities ensures a broad awareness of surroundings, an immensely valuable asset which helps to assist a variety of government department programs. At present staffed Lightstations are active participants in: • Search and Rescue – Lightkeepers assist in searches, provide pumps, perform first aid, stand by or escort, offer sanctuary, act continued on page 42

o their where the n current ata udies); with ll or

Prepared by Alison Kells

Barrett’s Esophagus

arrett’s esophagus is a condition in which the colour and composition of the cells lining your lower esophagus change, usually because of repeated exposure to stomach acid. Barrett’s esophagus is most often diagnosed in people who have long-term gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) – a chronic regurgitation of acid from the stomach into the lower esophagus. Only a small percentage of people with GERD will develop this condition. A diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus can be concerning because it increases the risk of developing esophageal cancer. Although the risk of esophageal cancer is small, monitoring and treatment focuses on periodic exams to find precancerous esophagus cells. If precancerous cells are discovered, they can be treated to prevent esophageal cancer.

Barrett’s esophagus signs and symptoms are usually related to acid reflux and may include: frequent heartburn, difficulty swallowing food, chest pain, black, tarry stools and vomiting blood. Many people with Barrett’s esophagus have no signs or symptoms. If you’ve had long-term trouble with heartburn and acid reflux, discuss this with your doctor and ask about your risks. Seek immediate medical attention if you: have chest pain, have difficulty swallowing, can are vomiting red blood or blood that looks like coffee grounds, are tkeepers passing black, tarry or bloody stools. ties as: The exact cause of Barrett’s esophagus isn’t known. Most people date who develop it have long-standing GERD. It’s thought that GERD ons, c make causes stomach contents to wash back into the esophagus, causing y, and damage to the esophagus. As the esophagus tries to heal itself the cells can change to the type of cells found in Barrett’s esophagus. given o assist Still, some people diagnosed with this medical condition have never ety of experienced heartburn or acid reflux. It’s not clear what causes reness Barrett’s esophagus in these cases.

able of

Factors that increase your risk of Barrett’s esophagus include: chronic heartburn and acid reflux. Having these symptoms of gastro esophageal reflux disease for more than 10 years can increase the active risk. Stomach acid that backs up into your esophagus, if you have GERD, can damage the esophageal tissue, causing the changes that signal Barrett’s esophagus. Men are more likely to develop it. assist White and Hispanic people have a greater risk of the disease than do m first African-American people. Barrett’s esophagus is also more common uary, act in older adults, but it can occur at any age. Making healthy changes increases the chance that you’ll be healthy enough for Barrett’s esophagus treatment should you need it. ~ / May 2010

DO YOU SUFFER FROM ALLERGIES OR SUBSTANCE SENSITIVITIES? with GUDRUN EICHHORST

Thursday, May 20th 7 – 9pm $10

id you know that any illness and symptom can be an allergy in disguise? Illnesses such as migraines, high blood pressure, inflammatory diseases, asthma and fatigue amongst others can be caused by allergies.

Come join us for an information evening presented by Gudrun Eichhorst, Reiki Master/Teacher & EFT Practitioner. Learn about the causes of allergic reactions, how to identify substance sensitivities and heal allergies with energy medicine. You will have the opportunity to experience muscle testing (a diagnostic method) to find out what weakens your immune system. Bring a food you crave, such as a sweet dessert or chocolate, and find out if what you crave is also causing you allergic reactions. Laundry detergents, shampoos or household cleaners are also often detrimental to our health. Come with a sample of a substance that you would like to have tested. The seminar will be experiential and interactive. ~

SQUARE FOOT GARDENING – YEAR-ROUND

"On top or all around, We've got you covered"

Siding Roofing Soffits Gutters Cell: 250-228-0505

Craig Lewis

Res: 250-752-7104 fclewis@shaw.ca

Certified Journeyman

FULLY CERTIFIED 38

/ May 2010

FREE ESTIMATES

with CONNIE KURAMOTO Thursday, May 27th 7 – 9pm $10

n her presentation Square Foot Gardening Year- Round Connie Kuramoto will share ideas about intensive styles of gardening that will increase your yield from even the smallest garden areas throughout the year. By making use of a few simple techniques, and a couple of planning tricks you should be able to grow a lot of your own food for yourself and your family. Join the backyard garden food revolution and forget wimpy imported vegetables forever! Connie Kuramoto has spent most of her life studying plants, growing plants, and talking about plants. In the mid 80’s she continued her Horticultural studies at Malaspina College (now VIU) as a student and later a technician and instructor. After her retirement from VIU she was hired by North Island College to run a Horticultural Training pilot program in conjunction with the Canadian Mental Health Clubhouse in Port Alberni and started to teach for Gaia College. Currently she continues to teach the Organic Master Gardener Program for Gaia College in several locations throughout Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast. ~

Sea Fever Attacks the Bells! By Carolyn Walton

ea Fever has truly hit Bowser residents, Paul and Laura Bell, who left Deep Bay this past March on a two-year hiking and sailing odyssey around the world on their 34-foot sailboat Chirpy. No stranger to adventure sailing, Paul spent seven years living on a boat with his former wife and two children, and sailed from Britain to the Mediterranean and South Pacific. “You don’t really encounter storms at sea,” he said, “but get into a lovely rhythm. In fact you reach an island and think, let’s just keep on going. The only thing that attracts you to the island is the smell of land. If you’ve been to sea for a week and come to an island, you can smell it way before you see it. It’s a damp, earthy smell and fills you with the strong emotion of that’s where I belong.” However, Laura, when asked about her sailing experience, replied: “That’ll take about 30 seconds!” Just married last summer, they sailed the San Juan and Gulf Islands for five weeks as part of their honeymoon. Working for the past thirty years for the BC Forest Service in Golden and Port Alberni, Laura admitted she was an avid skier but “got motion sickness in the back of a car so it never occurred to me to go out on a sailboat.” Asked how the two met, Laura explained that although they both lived in Golden, where Paul was chairman of the regional council for Wildsight, an environmental organization, the two hadn’t met and when Paul went off on an eight month hiking trip with his two children, Laura followed his trip journal blog. “I was so impressed by his relationship with his children, I got hooked and stalked him on-line for eight months!”

pho lyn W alton Caro

The couple’s ambitious travel plans are to sail to areas where they can hike; this year to San Francisco to hike the Sierra Nevada Mountains, next summer to Europe for the Alps, and hopefully through the Suez Canal to India, hike the Himalayas, to Indonesia, Japan, and home to Deep Bay via the Aleutians. “If we can pull it off we want to hike two-thirds the length of California this summer on the Pacific Crest Trail.” They will traverse the Panama Canal next March, sail up the inter-coastal waterway to visit Laura’s mother in North Carolina, then head across to visit Paul’s Dad in Somerset, England. continued on page 42

When Paul returned from hiking the Andes in South America, the Pyrenees in Europe, the Himalayas, and mountains in Australia and New Zealand, a big home-coming party was announced for him. “I made sure I was there,” Laura confessed. According to Paul, “I saw her come in the door and said, oh goodness me –she’s perfect!”

Marketing & Advertising

EyesOnBC Community Info Centre A few spots are still available in the EyesOnBC / Beacon Magazine In-house Community Info Centre for racking your business cards, rack cards or flyers! Call 757-9914 for more information. FROM $10/MONTH

It’s where locals and visitors find their service people!

Clipperart

LEXANDER BY JORGIE A

BOWSER VIDEO SHOWC ASE

Source: select Internet sites

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? IN STORE NOW I thoroughly enjoyed this movie about a married couple, Paul (Huge Grant) and Meryl ( Sara Jessica Parker) who are two successful New Yorkers that are estranged but desperately trying to repair their marriage. They become the only witnesses to a brutal murder and put into witness protection in Wyoming – together! Will they survive the weather, bears, fresh air and each other? Watch this delightful comedy and find out!!

THE FOURTH KIND IN STORE NOW

HAIR SALON

For the Sci Fi lovers out there take a look at The Fourth Kind, a blend of never-seen-before footage and re-enactment dramatization.

for an appointment call

757.9364

Patti Stubbs owner/operator

6920 W. Island Hwy. Bowser, BC

People have been disappearing in remote Alaska since the 1960s. Psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler reveals terrifying similarities with many of her patients. Could the similarities lead us to believe that there are Aliens out there? You decide!

THE STONING OF SORAYA M. IN STORE NOW I just recently watched this very powerful, unbelievable true story. To think that stoning in the twenty-first century still exists. The Stoning of Soraya M. is based on the 1994 Novel by French-Iranian Journalist Freidoune Sahabjam. Stranded in an Iranian Village, Freidoune (James Caviezel) was approached by Zahra (Shohreh Aghdashloo) with a harrowing tale about her niece Soraya’s (Mozhan Marno) brutal murder the day before. Zahra retells the accounts of the day before to Freidoune in hopes that he can expose to the world the inhumanity of Sharia Law. New Releases: Avatar, The Lovely Bones both a must see and Pirate Radio. As well as, Bad Lieutenant with Nicolas Cage and The Young Victoria. From the writers of Saw IV, V & VI comes The Collector and don’t miss Cheech & Chong’s: Hey Watch This...and many, many more.

Marketing & Advertising

May Releases: The Tooth-fairy staring the Rock; Leap Year and Heath Ledgers last film, Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus; and, based on a true story, Extraordinary Measures starring Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser...just to name a few. See you at the Store!!

RODGER'S MAINTENANCE SERVICES

All Yard Care Powerwashing Painting Concrete Sealing Security Checks

Ph: 250-757-2048

C: 250-240-4078 mlnissen@shaw.ca

Open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm

Luke Downs ● May 3 – may 14th Simplicity of form through shape or colour... Born and raised in England, I was given a little “Instamatic” type camera at an early age and took all the usual child’s snapshots. Later I got a better camera and tried a few different things in the camera club at school and I remember even then being excited by a negative, which had gone “wrong”. It must have been the first or last on the roll, and I mounted it in a slide mount and showed it with my slides as a kind of abstract...all kinds of coloured flares around a strangely shaded church tower. On my first visit to Canada, in 1981, I came across a book by Freeman Patterson, and if I were to claim anyone to have been an influence on what I do, it would be him. Once I added a macro lens to my bag of bits and pieces, that opened up a whole new dimension to my photography. To start with, I took straight pictures of flowers, but with Freeman Patterson’s inspiration somewhere back there, I have now ‘found my own voice’, and the pictures you see are the result. Recent showings of my work include participating in the group exhibitions of the Arrowsmith Artists Group and a solo show at The Old School House gallery in Qualicum Beach. ~

Mike Brown ● May 17 – 28th Mike was blessed to be born and raised into a very artistic family on the West Coast of British Columbia. As a small boy he watched in fascination as his father whittled at driftwood. Mike spent many years working in forestry and inevitably he began to apply skills with a chainsaw to the wood sculpting that had captivated him since childhood. Although Mike is known primarily for his outstanding work with a chainsaw, his hand carvings are exquisite as well. ~ Please visit Mike’s website at www.chainsawcarver.ca

BUSINESS SERVICES FAX • COPY • PRINT DESIGN

Essential business services conveniently located in Bowser

BUSINESS MARKETING THE BEACON MAGAZINE connecting the community

250-757-9914

#110-6996 W. ISLAND HWY, BOWSER, BC

LOCAL ARTIST GALLERY An eclectic collection of paintings, pottery, candles, glassware, jewellery, furniture, art cards & books.

/ May 2010

continued from page 36 as staging grounds for medevacs and for large scale rescue efforts, provide refuelling area for search helicopters and rescue efforts, and provide local knowledge, material assets and personnel to Rescue Coordination Centre. • Environment Canada – Lightkeepers provide weather data collections which are broadcast to mariners and aviators, updating as conditions change. The information is also used to assist Environment Canada forecasters, and to provide data for a climate record exceeding 50 years. Lightkeepers also provide protection for equipment. • Marine Communications and Traffic Services – Lightkeepers relay weak radio signals or distress calls from radio ‘blind spots”, monitor VHF radio for MCTS when repeaters are down, and collect information to find overdue or distressed vessels. • Department of Fisheries and Oceans – Lightkeepers relay announcements and assist with monitoring of fishing fleets, and provide assistance to scientific endeavors. • RCMP – ‘Coast Watch’ Program – In cooperation, Lightkeepers report suspicious vessels or traffic, assist prevention of infractions by providing federal ‘presence’, and act as staging grounds for RCMP operations. Lightkeepers protect your public assets. • Environmental Response and Pollution Control – Lightkeepers are responsible for spotting and assistance in the amelioration of spills, the stations act as staging grounds for large scale response. • Natural Resources Data Collection and Warning systems – Lightkeepers protect continued on page 44

/ May 2010

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely seas and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, continued from page 39 - The Bells

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, The Chirpy boasts a steel hull. “You can and a grey dawn breaking. bounce off rocks if you have to!” Despite radar and a GPS, Paul still plans to use a paper chart “Sea-Fever” as back-up. Laura will provision for about four John Masefield (1878-1967). weeks on the Atlantic crossing with canned goods, dehydrated foods, oats, beans, and rice. “We can carry 100 gallons of water, but won’t wash with it.” Paul pointed out “the most important thing on the boat” – a Monitor Weather Vane in the stern which steers the boat and always keeps it on the same heading to the wind. “We‘ll leave America and won’t touch the wheel until we get in sight of an island. It’s phenomenal, we don’t feed it, don’t have to talk to it, it doesn’t get sleepy and keeps everyone cheerful because if you had to sit all day and night holding the wheel it’s really drudgery.” Paul admitted, “The hardest thing now is leaving our running group of friends but Laura will be keeping a trip journal at www.lonelyplanet.mytripjournal.com/ chirpyventures.” Family, friends and the curious can stay virtually connected while following the wake of the Chirpy. ~ Paul and Laura, we will miss frolicking with you on the local trails but wish you an adventure-filled journey and a safe, return passage to your home harbour.

By Bruce Patterson

cia’new (Beecher Band) First Nations have generously facilitated the future exhibit of a grey whale skeleton at Vancouver Island University’s Deep Bay Field Station. The skeleton comes from a young malnourished grey whale approximately 10 metres in length that washed up on the shore of East Sooke Park in a windstorm April 2. “The preparation of the skeleton will provide an incredible learning opportunity for students involved in the process,” said Brian Kingzett, Field Station Manager at VIU’s Centre for Shellfish Research. “Once on public display, this whale’s legacy will be to help educate and inspire about coastal species for decades to come.” The whale’s skeleton will be preserved thanks to a co-operative approach involving Scia’new First Nations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), VIU and volunteers who were involved in towing the carcass to a remote part of the First Nations land and burying it at a sacred site. Scia’new First Nations had the whale buried on their land after concerns were raised

Representatives of Vancouver Island University on behalf of Scia’new First Nations place cedar boughs on the carcass of a grey whale before burial. After decomposition, the skeleton of the whale will be prepared for display at VIU’s Deep Bay Field Station. VIU is seeking sponsors to fund the display project. ~ submitted photo that some of the sightseers who came to see the carcass were showing disrespect for the whale including removing flesh and baleen for souvenirs. The carcass was also beginning to decay and posed a potential health hazard. Scia’new First Nations member Sharon Cooper initiated the effort to have the whale’s carcass handled with dignity. Fisheries and Oceans Canada was contacted about potential ways to move the whale. Paul Cottrell, Acting Marine Mammal Coordinator for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, then approached VIU about the prospect of the university becoming involved. VIU’s Centre for Shellfish Research had previously indicated to Fisheries and Oceans Canada that if a grey whale skeleton became available the university would be interested in exhibiting it at the Deep Bay Field Station for educational and research purposes. “While the applied research focus of the Deep Bay Field Station is on shellfish issues we will have a larger role in marine education,” Kingzett said.

With leadership being shown by Scia’new First Nations, all parties met on April 9 and made a plan to remove the whale from the beach the following day. An elder escorted DFO and VIU staff to a remote and sacred reserve and identified a suitable place to bring the carcass ashore and provide it with an honourable burial until such time as the bones could be exhumed by Scia’new First Nations and VIU. The following morning, with the help of volunteers operating a tugboat and an excavator, the whale was towed to the First Nations site and buried. Elders and community members supervised as mesh was wrapped around the carcass so that bones can be recovered after deomposition. While natural decomposition over the next two years or more initially prepares the bones, VIU is seeking sponsors to fund the costs to work in partnership with the Scia’new First Nation to exhume the bones and then prepare and reassemble the skeleton for display in the atrium of the Deep Bay Field Station. continued on page 50 / May 2010

continued from page 42 and at times reset equipment for tsunami, seismic, and GPS plate shift monitoring. • Scientific Research – Institute of Ocean Sciences and University studies including seawater temperatures and salinity (at some stations these have been taken daily since 1936), studies regarding salmon migrations, sea mammal movements, bird populations, etc. • Parks Canada – Lightkeepers assist with first aid and medevacs, posting notices and warnings including tsunami alerts, tracking recreational users. This effective and economical multitasking cannot be replicated by parceling it out to the various agencies, and if there is a thought that doing without will save money, Ottawa should think again. Much of the work that Lightkeepers do is preventative and as we all know, that is worth a whole lot of cure. Lest there be any misunderstanding, we are not writing this to save our jobs – Lightkeepers have been told that no one will be left without a job – but we feel it incumbent upon us to assist in ensuring that the safety network on the coast is not picked apart by people that do not understand the needs of the coastal communities.

new ideas for may gardening Q: I have an interest in topiary and have heard that Yew shrubs are well-suited to this pastime. Will you please comment and give me some starter tips for my hobby? A: Topiary, the art of trimming trees and shrubs into ornamental shapes, originated in Roman times and remains intriguing to both the sculptor and the viewer. It can be a very rewarding hobby for a particular kind of gardener. You’ll need a lot of patience since it is a very slow, long-term process. You’ll also need to be attentive to detail knowing that topiary may require high maintenance in order to establish and keep certain shapes. The best idea is to keep your shape simple and in line with the plant’s natural shape. Start by patiently establishing geometric shapes before you try to make animals, which is much more difficult. Taxus (Yew) is very slow growing and tends to be eaten by deer in our area so I don’t recommend it unless you have a fully fenced yard and plenty of time. Better for your first projects would be Buxus (Boxwood) which comes in many different shapes. For example, varieties that form balls, domes, and column shapes will lend themselves more easily to sculpting. Another species for larger growing shrubs is Lonicera nitida ‘Lemon Beauty’ which will work if you want to develop a vase or large dome shape while Lonicera nitida ‘Baggesen’s Gold’ is best for columns, fans, and pyramid shapes. These are the species used in Disneyland for topiary. Q: I have a narrow bed along the north side of my house in which I would like to plant some shade tolerant, spreading perennials. My friend recommended Anemone hybrids, Aquilegia (Columbine), and Convalleria majalis (Lily of the Valley), but I know that I get a reaction to Convalleria. Can you comment on these plants and can you suggest any other appropriate plants for this shady site?

We must assume that the Senate Committee will be listening to those impacted, and that this will be an opportunity for coastal communities, aviators, fishers, recreational boaters, and other concerned citizens, including workers transported by sea or air, to state their needs.

A: It is true that all three of these planting suggestions are good spreaders and will tolerate shade, but they are also known to be highly allergenic. Both the pollen and the scent can be bothersome. Three examples of low allergen perennials for small, shady spaces (that also produce nice cut flowers) are as follows: Ajuga reptens – a low growing, spreading plant that comes in many varieties with attractive, multi-coloured evergreen foliage; Aster macrophyllus – a good spreader with attractive heart-shaped leaves that can tolerate full shade; Bergenia cordifolia – an attractive evergreen with large leaves that produces flowers in early spring and grows in sun or shade, dry or wet soil. Watch for slugs with this one.

Join with your fellow mariners and aviators and support each other to retain these safety services for the whole. Ask that you be allowed to have input in the review on Lightstation Services by the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.

A: Many people these days are finding it interesting to add flowers to their salads, soups, desserts, and drinks. Just be careful that the flowers come from healthy, untreated plants. Also, be aware that parts of some flowers may cause allergies. People with seasonal allergies and hay fever may be particularly sensitive. Once you’ve eliminated safety concerns there are many varieties to choose from.

Submissions can be sent at the committee’s mailbox at the following email address: fish-peche@sen.parl.gc.ca Please feel free to contact us as well. ~ Steve Bergh, President BC Lightkeepers Alice Woods,Vice President, Local 20232 PSAC, Chatham Pt Lt Stn newdawn@lincsat.com 250-203-2421

Q: Would you please recommend plants I can grow to produce edible flowers?

Some of the most popular are in the Viola X Wittrockiana (Pansy) family because of their varied sizes, shapes, colours and fragrance. Furthermore, they do well in part sun and in baskets, tubs, or borders. Also tasty and quite lovely are Dianthus spp. (Carnations) which, once started, bloom continuously in pink, red, and mauve shades. They add a spicy, clovelike flavour to food. If you want a sweeter taste with a crunchy texture, try Hemerocallis spp. (Day Lily) buds of all colours. Fruit blossoms like apple, peach, pear, and apricot also offer the addition of a light fruity flavour. There are so many flowers that can be eaten it is hard to pick only a few. The following is a short list of more of our favourites: Gladiolus, Hibiscus, Hollyhock, Rose, Strawberry, Peony, Squash, Zucchini, and Pumpkin flowers. Have fun! Harry Sumner is a certified arborist & garden coach. Gardening questions are welcome at 250-248-4512 or shellms@telus.net.

HONOUR STUDENTS OF KWALIKUM SECONDARY SCHOOL Over the next several months, we will introduce the Grade 12 Kwalikum Secondary students who are currently completing their achievement requirements for induction into the Qualicum Beach Honours Society. “The Directors of the Society believe that our community benefits when our youth strive for excellence.” To find out how you can support their endeavours, please contact KSS Principal, Jesse Witte at (250) 752-5651. EMMA BURGER “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you.” This quote speaks to all individuals. You are your own self, holding your own personalities and outlooks on life. Our individuality is what makes this world so amazingly diverse. I for example, am interested in sewing, traveling, and keeping active. I deeply admire my friends and family for helping me become the person I am today. TARYN FORMAN In my life I have a lot of things I am very passionate about. I am very passionate about sports such as basketball, volleyball and most importantly, soccer. I am also very passionate about working with kids especially at Camp Homewood on Quadra Island where I spend most of my summers. In the future I see myself living in a small town like Qualicum Beach, with a family working as a Physical Education teacher. I want to improve the world by making a change in someone’s life. One of my favourite quotes is “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” AMANDA SALTER I am driven by my dreams and ambitions. My dream to succeed in life and to be in a position where I do not have to rely on anyone but myself is what drives and motivates me to study for that extra hour. My favourite quote is one by Katharine Butler Hathaway; “If you realize too acutely how valuable

time is, you are too paralyzed to do anything. I love this quote because it reminds me to keep doing what I love and to find time for what is truly important. I am passionate about life and all the sweet possibilities it has to offer. Life makes me passionate because no matter where you live, who you are or what you do; it allows you to choose for yourself. STEPHEN FRAMPTON There are a number of things that motivate me. Among them: impressing parents, coaches and, being a teenage boy, girls. However the factor that motivates me most is to have pride in myself. If I feel ashamed or if I know that I have done wrong I will strive to fix it. When I feel proud of what I’ve done, it is the most gratifying feeling in the world. My motivation is to feel my self pride. This is why I play sports, am still in band and joined the Honours Society. I like it when my Dad or my coach is impressed or proud of me, but above all, I like to know that what I did makes me smile on the inside. JACLYN KOELEWYN Things in my life that I am most passionate about are the sports that I participate in, they not only provide a way for me to stay healthy, and relieve stress, but they also help motivate me to achieve greater success. Sports help me realize how easy it is to improve at something with a little time and effort. Whether it is basketball, soccer, volleyball or swimming I strive to improve my performance, while following one of my favourite phrases from a poem; “risks must be taken, because the

“The roots of achievement lie in the will to become the best that you can become.” ~ Harold Taylor

greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.” Just imagine life without risks. There is no room for improvements, friendship, love or laughter. Risks generate new opportunities; that may lead to endless possibilities. MADELEINE DWYER I love to meet new people, to learn languages, and to explore new places, which are a few of the reasons I decided to go away this past year to Denmark as a Rotary exchange student. I am therefore finishing up high school a little late, but will be graduating this winter. I planned to volunteer at the 2010 Olympic Games and then work until September. Next year, I will be studying international relations in either Ottawa or Montreal. In the future, you will hopefully be able to find me working as the Canadian ambassador in Copenhagen, Denmark. SHONNICA THOMPSON I admire my mother as she has been through the most rigorous lifestyle and still she keeps moving, providing, and loving, all the while living life to the fullest. Life to me should be taken with each step towards the most sufficient opportunities, keep your eyes wide open. My passions are creative writing, medicine, biology and law. I plan to take the world in my hands and mold it into a loving place!

The publishers of The Beacon wish you much success!

DR. IAN AND MAGGIE SMITH CONGRATULATE THE HONOUR STUDENTS AND WISH THEM WELL IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL PURSUITS / May 2010

MOVING SALE – MAY 16 TO 22 9am to noon each day 130 Melvin Cres. Deep Bay. Antiques, bike & equip., boat motor, carpets, pictures, furn., telescope, tractor, pressure cooker, double matt, misc.

PICK-UP AND DELIVERY – Tune-ups and repairs to riding lawnmowers, all small engines and related equipment. Call Ron 250-240-1971 e-mail: ronmorrison100@ gmail.com

LILACS – I would like to purchase a bouquet of these fragrant flowers. If you have any available please leave a message at 250752-6293.

WANTED – 2 entrepreneur-minded individuals to work with expanding established business. 250-954-0074

HOUSECLEANING – Reliable, meticulous, trustworthy woman available to clean your home or office Monday to Friday. Call Shiela 250-752-3200. FINALLY A PLACE TO CALL HOME Sit in the cool of your fully-fenced backyard as you enjoy the sunset, quiet, yet close to shopping and outdoor recreation. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom private cottage bright and clean lots of storage. Available now $750 per month including hydro. Call 250-951-6460 or email dennistouhey@yahoo.ca OIL PAINTINGS by Carmen Gehring. On display every weekend in May. Sat & Sun hrs 1-5pm. 863 Fishermans Circle French Creek up Lee Rd – Off Mulholland Dr. PUT JUNK IN MY TRUNK – I clean out any room or pile. Fast, friendly, local. I recycle and run on Natural Gas. Call Gary at 250937-7879. PIANO LESSONS IN YOUR OWN Qualicum Beach Home – Qualified and Experienced Registered Music Teacher now accepting new students, all ages and levels. John Nelson 250-954-5895 COAL CREEK FARM in Fanny Bay has sm. to med. fresh young heritage turkeys, processed in a licensed facility $3.75/lb. Free-run chicken & duck eggs $3/doz. Taking orders for fresh duck – $4/lb for Aug delivery. Christine 250-335-1322. FIREWOOD – Legally obtained, seasonally dried firewood. $180/cord for dry fir, $160 mixed. Custom cut. Tax inc. discount for local seniors. Call 250-757-8006 or 250-240-2533 HOUSECLEANING – Reliable, meticulous, trustworthy woman available to clean your home or office Monday to Friday. Call Shiela 250-752-3200.

Plant Sale

Bowser Legion May 16 – 12 noon to 4pm See page 25 for more information 46

/ May 2010

THERAPEUTIC FOOT REFLEXOLOGY – Sessions 75 mins my home or yours. Release your body’s self-healing ability through deep relaxation. Please call Marie @ 250-335-0850. WRITING AND MEMOIR SERVICES – get the help you need to communicate your message or to tell your story effectively. www.memorablelines.com. Call 250-3351157 or 1-888-330-8366 AD-SAFE – reliable transportation to appointments, shopping, errands, outings. Ferry and airport service as well. Call Marilee at 250-757-9967 or 250-954-9925

WILDWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH 113 McColl Road, Bowser

Sunday Morning Worship 10:30 am 757-8136

GREEN ENERGY.

FIREWOOD a renewable and carbon neutral resource. For your fuel wood needs call Dale Wilson (250) 757-9276

Short Circuit Electric

New home? Renovation? For your safe and quality wiring needs, the shortest circuit is to call Tim 250-240-4105. Licensed and Bonded.

YOU CALL…I HAUL – small loads, garden waste, construction debris, unwanted misc. junk, small moves, prompt service. Call Ron 250-757-2094 or cell 250-228-1320 YOGA 4 YOU – Classes available in Parksville & Qualicum Beach. For schedule go to www.yoga4you.me or call Tracy Pike 250-248-4168 DESIGN & DRAFTING SERVICES. Residential – Commercial – Renovations Project Manager. Full Service Drafting Services from concept to completion. Call Deb Nicol. nicolde@shaw.ca 250-607-7038

The Gallery at EyesOnBC

FOOTCARE – HYGIENE Soaking feet, cutting nails, filing callouses, treating dry skin – fingernails too. Reflexology – 1 hour sessions. Home visits. Please call Vikki @ 250-757-9244

Featuring original art, prints, books and hand-crafted products of local Artists, Authors and Artisans.

DON’S HOME REPAIR – plumbing repairs and installations, complete renovations, no job too small. Call Don @ 250-757-8757 or cell 250- 951-8757

A Triple-A experience in Bowser!

THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF QUESTERS – 7pm Monday May 31st at the Lighthouse Community Centre. Speaker to be announced. FMI call Chris: 250-752-1419

GOT YOUR RAFFLE TICKET YET? SCOTTISH CULTURAL EVENT

57-YEAR OLD MACALLAN SCOTCH TASTING - MAY 29TH - 1PM CONTACT SUSAN WHYTE DANNEBERG AT 250-757-9222 FOR MORE INFORMATION

757-9914

6996 West Island Hwy Bowser

Aries (March 21-April 19) Money and finances are your focus now. Retrograde Mercury is causing errors, late cheques in the mail, and even (horrors) lost cheques, or important bits of paper. (“Step away from the ATM.”) However, this same influence might also allow you to resurrect a previous opportunity to earn money, or buy something you really wanted. It’s your chance to press Rewind and go back. Many will solidify earnings in a comforting way. Some of you will make a major purchase that is long-lasting, and beautiful. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Life ain’t boring! This month you have a super advantage because opportunities and important people are easily attracted to you. Make the most of this! (It happens only once a year.) Yes, Mercury retrograde is in your sign, which is a bummer. Just accept this, and do damage control by allowing extra time for appointments, and travel, and double-checking everything. (Especially your communications with others.) New friends and contacts are exciting! Possibly, someone older, wiser or richer? Gemini (May 21-June 20) It’s time to play it low key, and work alone, or behind the scenes. Since your birthday is looming ahead, you need downtime to strategize your future. What do you want for the next year ahead? Ideally, one does not elect to manage by crisis, and just let life happen to you, right? A loose plan or rough guideline makes a huge difference! Write down a wish list. This will help you attract the right opportunities, or at least recognize them if they surface. A secret love affair with someone of an age difference (probably older) might happen. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Your popularity rating is waaay up this month! Everyone wants to see you. If they’re coming to visit, hopefully, they will bring flowers, good food and drink. (Nobody likes a cheapskate.) The advice of someone older or more experienced will be valuable. Sudden offers to do something (possibly travel) might excite you. You will meet somebody interesting, who could be a role model. (You will learn something.) It’s liberating to meet a real character, isn’t it?

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Ta da! The Sun is now moving to the top of your chart where it shines like a spotlight on you, thrusting you in the limelight. (Tough for a Leo, I know.) And get this – this lighting is flattering! Important people are impressed. You don’t even have to do anything special to dazzle them – they just are. Your best option is to finish something you’ve already started because retrograde Mercury is at high noon as well. (Oops.) Wonderful opportunities from other sources (especially partnerships) will solidify things nicely for you. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) So much is exciting! For starters, travel hugely appeals! You might get a surprise offer to go somewhere. Any opportunity to learn something new will delight you. This also might suddenly appear out of the blue for you to explore. Increased activity with the media, publishing companies, or anything to do with the law, and medicine might also turn your crank, plus make big demands on your time. New love with somebody from another culture might begin. Like – enuff awreddy! Can you handle all this? Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) You feel passionately, intense about something this month. Could be sex? (“A good time was had by all.”) A new relationship with someone older or richer might capture your heart. Or this same passionate intensity could be applied to settling inheritances, estates, and dealing with taxes and shared property, and anything you hold jointly with others. (People are more secretive about their money than their sex life.) Weird, but true. The underlying theme is you want to be a better person! Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You’re focused on partnerships and close friendships this month. Retrograde Mercury attracts ex-partners and old friends back into the picture. “We are not amused.” But then, maybe we are amused? Actually, this is an excellent time for closure if that’s what’s necessary. But be warned, there will be a few surprises. Something you don’t expect from a partner or close friend will catch you off guard. Surprise proposals or

declarations of commitment are possible. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Once a year, the stars conspire to make you break a sweat getting organized. That time has come. This is why you have a strong urge to put everything in neat little piles. Make an effort to get better organized at work, and at home because you’ll love yourself for this later. In order to do a great job – give yourself the right tools: file folders, shelving, paint, cleaning equipment, whatever you need. Many will get a raise now. All of you are plagued with delays, shortages, broken equipment, lost papers, canceled appointments. Oy! Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Look who’s the big winner now! It’s party time, dear Capricorn. Take a vacation. Watch or participate in sports, grab a movie, see a play, explore the arts, or do whatever you love to do for pleasure. Hang out with your pals. Romance and love affairs are beautifully blessed! New relationships might begin, especially with someone richer or older. Good for financial speculation. Yowzah! Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You need to rest! Factoid. Focus on home, family, and domestic matters for the next six weeks. Conversations with a parent will be significant. This is also a wonderful time to redecorate or renovate, or buy beautiful things for your home or family members. Real estate transactions, especially those already in play look good. Great time to wrap stuff up, finally buy, or finally sell. Be patient with partners because Mars opposite your sign creates mutually irritating situations. Many will have family reunions. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Fasten your seatbelts because you’re going to be unusually busy during this month. Short trips, increased reading, writing, and studying, plus wheeling and dealing, and buying and selling, to say nothing of running errands, and talking to everyone will keep you panting for breath. Your daily pace is accelerating! You want to enlighten others about something. You have something you want to say. Meanwhile, everyday life is exciting, full of new information, new contacts, and maybe celebrity spotting! ~

"As your RBC mobile mortgage specialist, I am always ready to provide you with the free professional advice you need to finance your home purchase or refinance your home. I will help you build the best combination of features and options based on your budget & need. My aim is to help you customize your mortgage so that it fits both your current financial situation and your long term goals." / May 2010

Community Events LIGHTHOUSE COMMUNITY CENTRE (LCC) Qualicum Bay INFO: LOIS NELSON: 757-9938 Pancake Breakfast, Flea Market, Live Music, Veggies, Poultry & Small Animal Swap, Master Gardeners: – Sunday May 9 11th, 8amnoon. The Qualicum Bay Lions will be cooking up breakfast this morning.

Credit Master Mortgages One Mortgage... So Many Options... Come See Us Today...

Lighthouse Seniors #152 – Mon. May 3rd 11:30am at the LCC. Soup and Sandwich. New members welcome. Special guest speaker Jon Crockcroft from Qualicum Hearing Clinic. FMI Contact Layne (250) 757-8217. Wheelchair accessible. Summer Floor Curling – starts June 7th, Mondays only, to mid-September at the Lions Rec Centre. New members welcome. FMI phone Tillie 250-757-9218 or Dennis 250-757-8218. AA Lightkeepers: every Fri. 8pm. Info: 240-757-8347 Bridge at LCC Nordin Room Fridays at 1-4pm. Call Gerry Caille 757-8115 Taoist Tai Chi Society Classes at LCC and Fanny Bay OAP Hall. FMI Susan @ 757-2097 or Chris @ 752-1419 LIGHTHOUSE RECREATION INFO PATTY BIRO: 757-8366, shipshore@shaw.ca. Lighthouse Recreation Commission AGM – Friday, May 14th at 9:15 am at the Ship & Shore in Deep Bay. New members welcome. Floor Hockey (13+): Tuesdays at Bowser School, 7-9 pm, $2 drop in, Age 13+, FMI Kevin Bull, 757-8423 Lighthouse Trails Group needs your help. Val Weismiller: 757-9667

RDN PROGRAMS “Most Valuable Mom” Scrapbooking (6-12yrs) Make a mini album for Mom at Bowser School, Thurs, May 6 3:00-4:30pm $23.50/1 Crazy for Games (6-11yrs) Come out and play your favourite games and learn some new ones at Bowser School. Thu, 3:00-4:30pm May 13-Jun 10 $24/4 Tot Soccer (3-5yrs) Join in the fun at the Lighthouse Community Centre Field, Sat, May 15-Jun19, 9:30-10:15am $32/6

/ May 2010

Beginning Walking Program (35yrs+) Gentle first steps will enable you to become a fitness walker, starting from the Bowser Tennis Court. Wed, May 5-Jun 23, 5:30-6:30pm $38.10/8 Please register early at 250-248-3252 or 250-7525014 to avoid the disappointment of a program being cancelled. For more information please contact RDN programmer, Kim Longmuir at 250757-8118 or Klongmuir@rdn.bc.ca.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS & CLUBS Garden tour happening in Lighthouse Country! June 13th – watch for more details or call Sandra @ 757-8767 www.communityclub.ca Beautiful flower baskets on Mothers Day at the Lighthouse Community Center Pancake Breakfast. Pre-made baskets are available for $20 each, or bring in an empty basket from home and have it filled. Lovingly potted up by the ladies of the club and some extra volunteers, what more could mom want this year? For more info contact Taffy @ 757-9981 www.communityclub.ca Spring Swap Indoor Yard Sale. Lots of items for sale, refreshment table and hot dog sale. Sunday May 16, 9 – 2, Morning Glory School, 861 Hilliers Rd. QB, 250752-2722 Vendor space available for $15 call to book. Art Exhibition and Sale of Federation of Canadian Artists, Arrowsmith Chapter June 1-26th 10-4pm Tuesday to Saturday,. Opening Night and Free Draw Thursday June 3rd, 7-9pm @OCAC Gallery 133 McMillan Street Parksville BC 250-248-8185 Nanaimo Theatre Group presents The Clean House at the Bailey Studio, 2373 Rosstown Rd, Nanaimo, Wed-Sat, April 21 – May 8, 8pm, and Sun, May 2nd, 2pm; tickets $15/17, 250-758-7224 www.nanaimotheatregroup.com The Mid Island Floral Art Club will meet on Thursday, May 13 at 2pm at St. Stephen’s Church Hall, 150 Village Way, Qualicum Beach. Workshop on “Flowers for Entertaining” to complement table settings. All welcome. Call 250-248-2976 or 250-752-2179 for more info. www.mifac.org Mount Arrowsmith Rhododendron Society presents its 19th annual Garden Tour on Mother’s Day Weekend, May 8 and 9th from 10am to 4 pm. Tickets, $15, available at most local nurseries, Milner Gardens and Mulberry Bush Bookstores. Includes map. For more info: 250-752-7369.

May 2010 Qualicum Beach Garden Club Meeting – May 11th 7pm Civic Centre. With a powerpoint presentation “Start with the Soil” Catherine Dale will teach two simple tests: soil sedimentation test and water filtration test. Catherine teaches for Gaia College in the Organic Master Gardener, Plant Knowledge for Organic Gardeners and the Ecological Landscape Design Programs. TOTAM – Wed. & Thurs from 9:15 – 11:15 am. This program provides opportunities for parents and caregivers to meet and participate in activities, like Tae Aerobics or listening to guest speakers, while their infants, toddlers or pre-schoolers engage in age appropriate supervised creative play! SOS Child, Youth and Family Centre, 245 West Hirst Avenue, Parksville. For more information call 250-248-2093 ext 238. Garage Sale for Rest & Recuperate Equine Care Society – Sunday May 16th 9 – 1:00pm at Sunshine Rotary House, corner of Fern & Primrose, QB. Quality items may be dropped off Sat. May 15 9:30 – 12 noon at Sunshine Rotary House, or 5500 Is Hwy W before May 15th. FMI call Sandra 250-757-9921. Qualicum Beach Family History meeting on May 19th brings Dr. Don Davis as guest speaker. He will discuss ‘English Poor Law: Its Evolution and its Records of Interest to Family Historians.’ Everyone is welcome. We meet 3rd Wed. of each month, 7pm at the rear of Legion Hall in Qualicum Beach. Kiwanis Club of Parksville/Qualicum Beach meets 1st and 3rd Tues at The Kiwanis Village 250 West First Ave QB 7:15pm. 19+ are welcome if you wish to assist seniors and children in need in our community.FMI contact Thomas at 250-752-7424 Skeet Shooting – Are you ready for some fun. Test your hand/ eye coordination. give Trap and Skeet shooting a try. Men, Women and children over age 12 (accompanied by an adult). Sun. 10am and ‘even numbered” Wed. at noon. Location: The Dorman Road Range off Baylis Road – a member of the Parksville Qualicum Fish & Game Club. FMI: Diane Upper, 250-757-8320. Dance To Timberline – Free, live Country & Old-time Rock’n Roll music. Every Wed. 7:30 -10:30pm. Parksville Legion, 146 West Hirst St, Parksville. Everyone welcome. Get the support you need to lose weight and keep it off. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets weekly at the Seniors Hall on Ships Point Road. Weigh In starts at 9:30am. Meetings at 10am. Probus Club of Qualicum Beach for retired and semi professional busines people who meet at St. Stephens Church at 9am on the first Tues. of each month. The upcoming speaker for May 4 th is Teunis Westbroek who will be speaking about running a municipality and comparing it to being the skipper on a fishing boat. FMI call Harry Bassett at 250-752-9222 bass3@shaw.ca Broombusting has begun! Join in! It’s fun, light physical work. There is no cost and no pay, but there is an end and the satisfaction of a job well done. The first community cut of Scotch Broom in area H will be on Saturday, May 15th, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm, at the SE corner of Horne Lake Rd. and Hwy 19 (Inland Island Hwy.) For more info, go to www.broombusters.org, or email info@broombusters.org. There will be community cuts from Courtenay to Nanaimo until June. It’s fun! Broombusters supplies tools and know-how. / May 2010

continued from page 43 - Whale

Kingzett said the co-operative effort will provide the research station with a spectacular display and learning opportunities. The 13,000-square-foot, $8.6-million Deep Bay Field Station will open in September. The field station will play a valuable role in coastal research and educating both students and the public about the sustainability of coastal communities and maintaining the health of inshore coastal ecosystems where human development has its most immediate impact. Kingzett pointed out that the grey whale is unique as a species in that it feeds in shallow bays and estuaries including foraging in muddy and sandy bottoms for worms, shrimp and other shellfish. During their annual migration from the arctic to the Baja Mexico they travel along the shore of Mexico, the US and British Columbia in very close proximity to where coastal development is occurring. “The grey whale’s recovery from near extinction is a reminder that we have the ability and a responsibility to protect and restore the health of the coastal systems that we rely on to support ourselves,” Kingzett said. ~ Bruce Patterson is a writer/communications officer at Vancouver Island University For further information, contact: Brian Kingzett, Field Site Manager, Centre for Shellfish Research Vancouver Island University, 250-740-6399 Email: brian. kingzett@viu.ca For more on the Deep Bay Field Station, visit: viu.ca/deepbay

BOWSER SENIOR HOUSING

he Directors of the Bowser Senior Housing Society have worked, this past year, toward our objective “to provide and operate non-profit housing exclusively for seniors and elderly veterans”. We have: - Updated a survey to find the direction of our community’s wishes and clearly identified that our plan was on track. - Investigated other operations in Courtenay, Nanaimo and Port Alberni for ideas in 50

/ May 2010

architecture, services to the residents, and the many other things that contribute to a satisfactory and enjoyable lifestyle. - Identified a location for a seniors complex that appears to be perfect for what the community has in mind and have started the process to acquire the land. - Explored the possibility of obtaining grants from government and private sources with results that give us encouragement that this thing is “do-able”. Finally, there is a sense of anticipation within the Board that there will be a nonprofit facility in Bowser that residents will be proud to have in their community, and that the residents of the facility will be proud to call their home. We foresee providing a comfortable, supportive, and affordable lifestyle for seniors. There remains one irksome problem: membership. Applications for grants and mortgages, and access to political clout require a demonstration of the community’s interest in the project. Your name on our membership roll is vital for us to successfully compete for the building blocks to build this facility in Bowser. With your membership, you vote YES and the people receiving our applications take notice. You can join our effort by stopping in at the Beacon’s office (they kindly volunteer to assist us) and ask Jeanette for a membership application. Better yet, come to the Annual General Meeting on Monday, May 10 at 7 pm in the Nordin Room at the Lighthouse Community Centre, Qualicum Bay or call Terry King (250-757-8643) and he will be happy to help. We must show our community spirit and support for affordable seniors housing. ~ submitted

HIDDEN TALENT ENQUIRIES

he Bow Horne Bay Community Club is inquiring about you, and your childrens hidden talents, or maybe even some well known ones. Why the questioning? Well, here’s why, the Lighthouse Country 40th Fall Fair will be held on September 4th and the planning committee is looking once again to the community for their special talents. Does your flower garden produce the prettiest and most colourful blossoms or does your vegetable garden grow the weirdest shaped

things? Could it be possible that you believe your pumpkin seed will grow the largest pumpkin ever seen on Vancouver Island? Do you have a talent within the artistic category and you would like a chance to display your work? Do you have a child who likes to create, and win ribbons or even money for their endeavors and have someone tell them how proud they are of them? Can you bake a “Cherry Pie” that will put “Billy Boy” into second place? Well, the Lighthouse Country Fall Fair is going to be just the spot to do that. You can share with the community your special talents and the possibility of winning a ribbon or two. The members of the planning committee are already looking forward to viewing the many talents of our community members. ~ submitted

NIGHT OF THE LAUGHING MOON

omen and girls of all ages, shapes and sizes are doing it, and loving it. Now they’re inviting the public to come and be inspired by their source of joy: bellydance, an art form that is both ancient and modern, an authentic expression of Middle Eastern culture with a creative West Coast interpretation. Treat yourself to an evening of beautiful movement, vibrant colours and exotic rhythms at the 2nd Annual Night of the Laughing Moon Bellydance Show, Friday, May 7, at the Fanny Bay Community Hall. Doors open 6:30pm; show starts at 7pm. Tickets are $10 for adults, $4 for kids, available at the door.

Last year’s event filled the Hall and was described as “magical,” “a huge success”, “absolutely wonderful” by audience members, who also said “I didn’t want it to end”, “I had no idea there was so much talent in the region.” This year features many of the same performers, plus some new ones, including troupes from Courtenay, Bowser and Hornby Island. If you’re a long-term bellydance fan you’ll see something new here; if you’ve never seen this dance form (or only in its restaurant variety), come out and discover the artistry, emotional power, and pure entertainment value of this art form. The show is presented by the Laughing Moon Dancers of Fanny Bay. For more information contact Laura Busheikin, 250335-2089 yogawithlaura@telus.net. ~ submitted

BUSINESS INFORMATION CENTRE

To be included in this listing, simply take advantage of our “Community Marketing Package”, which includes display advertising in The Beacon, in-house Community Business & Information Centre racking privileges, and a listing on this page. Call Jeanette at 757-9914 for full details. ~

e encourage you to “shop local” whenever possible. Below is a list of local businesses that offer a variety of services and products for your personal and professional needs. Tell them you saw their listing or ad in The Beacon. And, if you use and can recommend a local business or service, we ask you to share the news with your neighbours, friends and family. Your positive referrals will ensure a strong economy in your community. And that’s important!

Advertiser........................................Contact Information............................. Category....................... Ad Page Gallery at EyesOnBC..................................757-9914................................................................Art & Gift Gallery / Business Centre......24 Arrowsmith Automotive................................752-1662................................................................Automotive Services..............................26 Qualicum Auto & Marine Supply Ltd............250-752-5621.........................................................Auto & Marine Supplies.........................53 Career Centre..............................................248-3205................................................................Business & Education...........................54 Invis, Carol Plaisier, Mortgage Consultant...250-248-5997.........................................................Business & Financial Services..............53 Jennifer Hubbard, Barrister, Solicitor, Notary Public.......................752-6951.............................Business & Financial Services..............47 Lotar Maurer, CGA.......................................752-9223................................................................Business & Financial Services..............23 NR Insurance Services................................752-3086................................................................Business & Financial Services..............30 Dennis Ponto, Accountant...........................757-8581................................................................Business & Financial Services..............54 RBC Mortgages - Cathie Kanani.................752-7461................................................................Business & Financial Services..............47 Wisdom is Within Coaching.........................757-9794................................................................Business & Personal Coaching.............35 Handy Sandy Services................................757-9599................................................................ Maintenance Services..........................52 Rodger’s Maintenance Services..................757-2048................................................................ Maintenance Services..........................40 Medicine Centre..........................................Fern Rd 752-9911......Memorial Ave 752-9976......Health Services.....................................36 Tracy Hebert R.M.T........................................................................cell 927-1471.......................Health Services.....................................54 Alain Voitchovsky (Finishing Carpentry)......757-8799................................................................Home & Garden Services......................52 Bowser Roofing...........................................757-9827....................248-1633.............................Home & Garden Services........................2 Gayle’s Housekeeping.................................250-757-8065.........................................................Home & Garden Services......................54 Gemini Technical Services (Appliances).....752-6871................................................................Home & Garden Services......................54 Horne Lake Electric.....................................250-240-7778.........................................................Home & Garden Services......................53 Lady With the Brush, Maid Services & More..................................250-757-9939......................Home & Garden Services......................54 Lighthouse Trucking Ltd..............................757-2047....................cell 927-7577.......................Home & Garden Services......................53 Northpacific Window....................................752-5312................................................................Home & Garden Services......................25 Qualicum Bay Custom Carpentry................250-757-8996.............cell 250-954-7700...............Home & Garden Services......................54 Witte Construction.......................................757-9713....................927-2157.............................Home & Garden Services......................53 EyesOnBC (in Bowser)................................757-9914................................................................Copy / Fax / Office Services... Back Cover Re/Max First Realty - Carol Gregson..........954-8817....................1-888-243-1071...................Real Estate............................................22 Re/Max First Realty - Tom Whitfield............248-1071....................1-888-243-1071...................Real Estate............................................34 Arrowsmith Golf & Country Club..................752-9727................................................................Sports & Leisure....................................26 Peter Mason Land Surveyor........................757-8788....................1-800-350-5394...................Surveying & Land Information...............53

Community Information Centre at EyesOnBC • 250-757-9914

The advertisers listed above also have their business cards and brochures racked with us at EyesOnBC in our Community Information Centre. If you require further information about any of the businesses noted above, please feel free to call or stop by our office. We support local business and firmly believe in the power of networking. / May 2010

Culverts Drain Problems

Designer Clothes

Septic Installation

Sand & Gravel Topsoil Septic Systems Bark Mulch Driveway Chips Water Lines

Call Lauren & Save

P.C. Plumbing 01.07.eps

Plumbing & Gas Services

Home Improvement ashman_neil@yahoo.ca

Home Repairs

Plumbing Service Drywall Repairs 30 Years Experience Licensed & Bonded PETER CHAPMAN

(250)240-1415

Military Surplus

& Bobcat Services 250-927-1355

Pellet Fuel Sales

CONSTRUC M AN TIO H S

Neil Ashman

Master Lawn Maintenance......................................................... 54

Drywall

Septic Services

Jim’s Mowing.............................................................................. 53

Construction

(250) 757-8156 or (250) 954-8716

Construction

NEW THIS MONTH!

A-Company Military Surplus & Adventure Clothing.................... 52 Action Tank, Septic Services...................................................... 52 Alain Voitchovsky, Custom Craftsman........................................ 52 All in One Bobcat........................................................................ 52 Alpine Cedar............................................................................... 53 Arrowsmith Heating.................................................................... 53 Ashman Construction................................................................. 52 Blue Star Trucking...................................................................... 53 Bondy and Sons Heating & Cooling........................................... 53 Bowser Video Showcase............................................................ 53 C.F. McLean Pellet Sales........................................................... 52 Career Centre............................................................................. 54 Deja~Vu Decor........................................................................... 53 Dennis Ponto, Professional Accounting...................................... 54 Dynamic Drywall......................................................................... 54 Ed & Willems - House Painting................................................... 53 Evelyn’s Barber Shop................................................................. 54 Firewood (Dale Wilson).............................................................. 54 Gayle’s Housekeeping................................................................ 54 Gemini Appliance Repair............................................................ 54 Handy Sandy Services............................................................... 52 Invis, Carol Plaisier Mortgage Consultant.................................. 53 Lady with a Brush....................................................................... 54 Level 6 Drywall Contracting........................................................ 52 Lighthouse Feed & Garden........................................................ 54 Lighthouse Trucking................................................................... 53 Mr. Land Clearing & Septic Ltd................................................... 54 Oceanside Yoga......................................................................... 54 PC Plumbing & Gas.................................................................... 52 Peter Mason Land Surveyor....................................................... 53 Qualicum Auto & Marine............................................................. 53 Qualicum Bay Custom Carpentry............................................... 54 Qualicum Bay Plumbing............................................................. 53 Qualicum Clothworks.................................................................. 52 Surfside Family Haircare............................................................ 54 Tracy Hebert, Massage Therapist.............................................. 54 Wilson Exteriors.......................................................................... 52 Witte Construction Ltd................................................................ 53

Certified Septic System Specialist

Heating Pellets Animal Bedding Wood Pellets & Shavings

WE DELIVER 757-9232

Located in Qualicum Bay 52

/ May 2010

Your Local Entertainment Centre

. New Releases . Great Library Selection . New & previously viewed movies for sale . Machine Rentals - N64, PSX & XBox . Game Rentals - N64, PSX, PS2

Heating

Movie & Game Rental

Auto & Marine

BOWSER

XBox & GameCube

Ask our Staff for your hard-to-find titles Reservations Accepted

757-8353

Excavating

Land Surveying

Interior Decorating

#3 - 6996 West Island Hwy, Bowser

2003 Kobelco SK160Lc Excavator for Hire

DEJA~VU DECOR CUSTOM DECOR & WINDOW COVERINGS

Call

250-752-8772

Convenient In Home Appointments

ph. 757-9713 c. 927-2157 e. shaun.witte@gmail.com

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL ALTERNATE ENERGY

T.J. Farrell

250 • 240 • 7778

Plumbing Sand - Gravel - Topsoil

Heating & Cooling

Lawn Services House Painting

tjfarrell@shaw.ca

Mortgages

WCB & Insured Shaun Witte Owner/Journeyman

Electrician

Construction

LTD

Fencing / Timber

Witte Construction

105 Islewood Dr. Bowser, BC V0R 1G0

/ May 2010

APPOINTMENTS ALWAYS AVAILABLE!

150 Kenmuir Rd. Qualicum Bay, B.C.

/ May 2010

Call DOLINA

757-9255

Pet Food Supplies Excavating & Septic

HOURS 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 9 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 9 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Drywall

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Lawn Services

Hair Care

Goldwell Coloring, Highlighting & Foiling

Appliance Repair

Career Counselling

SURFSIDE

FAMILY HAIRCARE

Barber Services

Accounting Services

Healthcare

DALE WILSON 250-757-9276

Construction

For Your Fuel Wood Needs Call

Cleaning Services

Firewood, a renewable carbon neutral resource

Cleaning Services

Fitness Classes Firewood

GREEN ENERGY

/ May 2010